Lockdown
by Nature9000
Summary: The school's security system was built as a result of a principal's paranoia, but when someone activates it during an audition for a theater play, thirteen people find themselves trapped inside. With one among them out for revenge, the group must struggle to make it through the night until the building opens. With uncertain fates at the hands of an unknown killer, can they survive?
1. Death and Omens

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: So this is something different. I've wanted to do this for a while, see the very first story I ever wrote in my life (was total crap, haha) so I wanted to rewrite it in the version of one of my fandoms on fanfiction for your entertainment. So without further ado, enjoy the mystery and horror.

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Chapter 1 (Death and Omens)

Jade stood beside Tori as they stood beneath the cover of an umbrella. All around them, rain pelted the array of umbrellas held by a community of people in this dark thunderstorm. Beck and Andre were not here for this service, neither was Robbie. Cat was off partying with her roommate, which left a bitter taste in Jade's throat.

As she scanned the long faces, stopping onto Tori's emotionless face, she closed her eyes and took a slow breath. Today, they buried Katrina Vega. All around them, she could feel the poisonous glares from the community and people from both the High School as well as University that Trina had been attending. What happened was not her fault, but she knew their anger.

She'd been roped into joining another play for her sister and once again had to be hung high from the ceiling. Yet again, her rope had been cut and nobody would accept responsibility, even after she'd struck her head on the stage. She fell into a coma and was declared dead three days later, and with her boyfriend's unborn baby inside of her.

Perhaps Sinjin's glare was the most fearsome, for he'd lost his fiancé and his child because of one of their neglect. Mr. Vega had been the one to sit all of the friends down, going so far as to physically assault them until they said who was responsible, but none of them knew. Even Sikowitz was giving them all poor grades as punishment. When Trina had attended Hollywood Arts, she was top athlete and one of Mr. Sikowitz's favorite students. Jade could feel the daggers from all three, and if looks could kill, she'd be dead on spot.

"Would anyone like to say some words?" The Pastor asked. Jade bowed her head as Tori took a shaky step forward. The pastor extended his hand to the girl and she turned to face the crowd, staring out with the same expressionless face. "Victoria?"

"Nothing I say can bring my sister back," she finally broke. Her voice trembled and tears began to well up in the girl's eyes. "I loved her, I clung to her growing up…I-I never thought this would happen." Jade shook her head and watched the casket lower into the hole. Thunder clapped and lighting lit up the sky. She always knew the jokes, the pranks, and even the hatred the friends seemed to spill out due to their ignorance was too much, but nobody ever knew when anything was too far.

Her eyes trailed over to Holly, who was busy weeping on David's shoulder. This was a different woman than she'd been the night of her daughter's death.

_ "I always knew you people were no good," Holly snapped at Tori's friends, "I wish you never stepped foot in my family. She'd still be alive! We should have kicked you away the first time you cut Trina's cord and put her in the hospital! I hope you all pay for what you did to her!"_

Her eyes drifted away from her and froze on David. Her body winced as a vivid memory stabbed her. _"You were responsible the first time weren't you?" David slammed Robbie against the wall, clutching the youth's throat. "You must have done it this time!"_

_ "I-I didn't do it!" Robbie cried. All of them were bruised, and perhaps Beck had taken the most damage as he'd been the one mouthing off like an idiot. _

_ "Bullshit! You, Andre, Beck, Jade, and Cat were the only people in that prop room when that cord was cut! We're not leaving until I find out which one of you is responsible for what happened to my daughter!" David hadn't taken into account that there were some other students in the prop room as well, but in all truth, they were nowhere near the cord._

Jade knew better than to speak up and take further abuse, and perhaps she should have spoken the truth then. It wasn't just one of them that did it, and they didn't know what would happen. She saw Beck and Robbie near the rope at the time it had been cut, and it was Beck who'd recently gotten into an argument with Trina over something related to Tori. Of course, she'd also turned Robbie down when he asked her out, forgetting that she was already going out with Sinjin.

_"I want nothing to do with you people," Sinjin let out a venomous growl as they approached him in an attempt to give condolences for what happened to Trina. _

_ "We just want to say we're sorry for your loss," Beck started. Sinjin lifted his hand and cut the man off with a rude glare._

_"As far as I'm concerned, you can burn in hell." Jade winced as Sinjin rose up, his nostrils flaring and his eyes bright with rage. "Mark my words, when they find out which one of you is responsible for Trina's death, and my unborn son, I will tear you apart with my bare hands…"_

Jade met Sinjin's glare and felt the same chill she had on that day. The man's hate could be felt for miles, and she dared not to approach him. The whole group had been receiving death threats from everyone that had been close to Trina. All except for Tori, but Tori had been numb and isolating herself ever since the accident. She hadn't spoken a word to the friends until this very day.

Even Sikowitz felt whoever was responsible should turn themselves in and request the death penalty. It was hard having their favorite teacher hate them, but it seemed more that he was simply stunned that his students would go so far as to cause the death of someone they didn't like. Regardless, Jade knew better than to approach him either.

"How could she show up here?" She heard someone whisper from behind. The voice was that of one of the other people that had been in that theater box that night. There were approximately four other people. Greg, Bill, Shirley and Tiffany. Tiffany was the one speaking. "After what they did?"

"Quiet," Bill muttered, "She can be here if she wants, right?" She rolled her eyes and looked back to Tori, ignoring the mutters around her. Sure she wasn't friends with Trina, but she was friends with Tori and wanted to be there to support her friend. For all anyone knew, one of them could have cut that rope. Despite that Shirley and Tiffany had been practicing their lines on the stage, Greg was busy with the stage lighting, and Billy had been in the sound room.

She felt highly uncomfortable being there, sure, especially when the entire area seemed to be full of such loathing. Even one of Trina's best friends, Lindsay, had choice words for Tori's friends. It was difficult for her to adjust, and she wished she'd been able to stop her friends from being so hard on the woman. It was one thing to disrespect your own friend but it was another to disrespect her by constantly putting down her older sibling.

"Shut up drama geeks," Jade growled. The four instantly silenced. These were the four that had to be involved with every production and school play. Including the one that auditions were up for a couple weeks. She and Tori were going to audition since it was a play Sikowitz was orchestrating. She advised Beck and the others to stay away, but they all wanted a part of it.

After Tori was finished with her speech, she returned to Jade's side and Sinjin walked up to the podium to say something about the love of his life. Jade looked towards her friend with a somber glint. Tori still had an ashen face with empty eyes and red stains streaking her cheeks. "I know it's hard Tori…"

"How can I audition for that play coming up?" Tori asked with a weak and quiet tone. "After what happened to Trina, I-I don't..."

"Maybe it'll make you feel better?" A look of shock came over Tori's face for a second and Jade bowed her head, speaking softly. "I know I shouldn't say it like that. Nothing will make it better-nothing will bring Trina back-but you need something to occupy your mind with."

"Occupy my mind?" Tori scoffed under her breath and lifted a tissue to her eyes. "My family is broken. I lost my sister _and_ a possible nephew, Jade. All because your boyfriend, his two asshole friends, and maybe even Cat hated my sister. You were all there, along with Billy, Gregory, Shirley and Tiffany…someone cut my sister's cord, it wasn't an accident, and now because of that-my family's not complete anymore. I-I don't know what to do."

"I know. I'm sorry Tori-I'm so sorry." She looked up to see Sinjin, Holly, David, Sikowitz, and Lindsay all glaring at her once more. Their fire burned her, frightened her, and for what? She wanted to yell and scream, to say it wasn't her fault! Yes she was there, but she would never have done to Trina what likely Beck or Robbie had done! She was a dark person yes, but she wasn't malicious.

Though just about anyone could go crazy, and try as she might to stay calm, something terrified her. There was a dangerous storm coming, she could feel it in her blood.

Lightning flashed once more as the pastor began to read the closing statements. Soon, all heads bowed for prayer. She felt Tori trembling beside her, weeping softly and whispering for her sister. She opened one eye and saw David and Holly gazing at their daughter's grave. Sinjin had a murderous glare fixated once again on her. He knew their hate wasn't directed to her as an individual, but to Tori's friends as a whole. As much as she wanted to give them the promise that she'd not personally done anything to hurt Trina, she knew it was best to just leave well enough alone for a while.

Hopefully, time would heal all wounds.

Almost a month passed by before the auditions for Sikowitz's play begun. She followed Tori into the auditorium with Mr. and Mrs. Vega, smiling as Sikowitz turned a frown to her. Behind her were Cat, Beck, Andre, and Robbie. "Oh I see all of you are auditioning?" Sikowitz muttered.

"Well we can't just not try and audition," Beck chuckled, "We want to try. I know what happened to Trina was terrible, but you can't hold it against us forever."

"We certainly can," Sinjin walked over with a cart full of stage props. His eyes were narrow and his lips pulled back in a scathing growl. Jade hung back and watched as David and Holly walked towards one of the auditorium seats. She looked up to the stage and smiled when she saw Shirley, Greg, Billy and Tiffany on the stage practicing lines. Perhaps she could get some tips from them.

Tori was moving towards Backstage, leaving Jade to fend off Sinjin and Sikowitz on her own. Of course, she honestly didn't care for conversation.

"Hey how long until the school shuts down?" Robbie asked nervously. Sikowitz raised an eyebrow as Robbie looked over his shoulder. "I mean it's eight o'clock, doesn't the school lock up automatically?"

Andre rolled his eyes, "No dumbass. The school shuts down manually." Sikowitz rubbed his chin and slowly nodded his head.

"That's correct. When I am finished with all you children and send you home, I'll lock down the school."

Due to the Principal's paranoia with break-ins, the school's shutdown feature was rather complex. Only faculty knew the code to lock and unlock the buildings. When the code was entered, via computer in the office, all the doors and windows would have at least five minutes before they were barred shut. Once that happened, the lockdown was put on a computerized timer where all the doors and windows would unlock automatically at six o'clock in the morning. Nobody would be able to get in-without an administrator password-and no one would be able to get out without the code.

"What are you worried about, Robbie?"

"Nothing," he muttered, "Just a bad dream I had recently."

Holly walked over, asking Sikowitz where the restroom was. He explained the directions and had Sinjin guide her out the door. Jade folded her arms over and looked to the stage one final time. Her heart began to pound as a strange sensation began to overwhelm her.

Something wasn't right, there was an eerie chill in the air and a silence that befell them. Part of it she considered must have been due to being in the presence of so many people that were on bad terms with the friends right now, but for the most part, she couldn't place a finger on what was making her stomach churn and her heart clench with fear.

"Okay, everyone start moving backstage," Sikowitz directed, "Auditions will begin soon!" The others began to move and she looked back to the auditorium doors. Were they the only people in the school right now?

_"Nonsense, you're just letting Robbie's paranoia get to you."_ Many strange things had been occurring lately. The Vega family had been slowly drifting apart, Sinjin was becoming angrier, Sikowitz had no qualms about giving them lower grades, but that she thought was starting to change. It was the omens she was concerned about, and these signs were the cause of Robbie's fear.

All of them, including the four others that were in the theater box had been receiving certain 'gifts' such as black roses stuffed in their lockers. Along with these came explicit notes with the warning to come clean of their crime.

Some of the more mysterious omens that were appearing were the black cats on the doorsteps, though this only happened with Beck, and it had been a dead. Andre woke up one morning to find a doll hanging outside his window with a noose around its neck.

They thought nothing of it, just figuring it as some community thing to try and scare them all off. But tonight, there was a chill to Jade's spine as she thought on these omens. Even the play they were auditioning for, it was Shakespeare's _Hamlet._ The more she thought on it, the more she wanted to leave.

"Jade!" Beck called from the stage. She glanced over, flinching her muscles. "Are you coming back here or not?"

"Y-Yeah I'm coming!" She shook off her inhibitions and quickly ran for the stage. It was all or nothing, and she didn't come here for nothing. She was looking forward to this play all year, and nothing was going to stop her from enjoying tonight's audition.

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Those other four students (Bill, Greg, Tiffany, Shirley) are the names of the people in my very first ever story. Granted the main character isn't around. It was a murder mystery/horror, much like this will be. Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!


	2. Death at the Auditions (notice within)

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

This update is _way_ early for me but it is only to deter a notion that I'd like to address urgently before anyone passes judgement before the story actually gets into it. So read the note below, then take the second chapter.

A/N: A couple things everyone needs to understand first no one character is hated by another, and everyone's anger displayed last chapter was directed at the entire group of people within those first few days of Trina's death. You also have to understand the human psyche of everybody at the time of the death! Life is not black and white, people are angry, they're hurt, they're betrayed! Someone they cared about was killed and the real killer refuses to step up to the plate and confess. Now, Jade especially will be on good terms with most people in this. I needed multiple suspects to throw you, the reader, off the trail of who the killer is: since there is risk of it being made obvious. Some of the deaths, also, aren't going to be hate kills. You will see, it's all in the clues. Bear in mind that yes the killer has snapped at this point.

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Chapter 2 (Death at the Auditions)

Jade and Tori watched as Cat auditioned for a part in the play, laughing over one of the lines. She didn't seem to be nervous at all, but then, none of them ever were. "You think we'll make the auditions, Tori?" Tori simply shrugged in response and looked over towards Tiffany who was busy practicing lines with Shirley.

"I don't know, the drama people are doing fancy things. You know Tiffany wants to be hoisted up with a wire? I swear to god it's like people are trying to remind me about my sister! As if I could forget." Jade felt a pull at her heart and reached over, rubbing Tori on the back. Tori leaned sideways, putting a head to her shoulder and holding back her own tears. "What are we doing here Jade? I can't audition for a play when Trina's so-so…it's too fresh…"

"I'm sorry Tori." Jade looked out at David and Holly in the audience and began to frown. "You could just ask your mom and dad to take you home if you're uncomfortable." The girl lifted her head and started to tense.

"N-No I have to be here for this. It's the only way I can keep going on. You said it before a few weeks ago, I need to 'occupy my mind'."

"If it's too much, you don't have to." Her father was a guidance counselor, so she knew a lot about human psychology from him. She wanted to be a counselor as well, and often practiced looking into other people. Tori was hardening herself lately, from what she was observing, as anyone would after the death of someone so close to them. "What I don't understand is why you let all your friends talk bad to Trina and disrespect both you and her that way." Tori's eyes widened for a brief second and her hand moved up to her mouth.

"They were disrespecting me too?"

"Yes. I mean, I know to a point I was too and I'm sorry. I really am." Tori bowed her head, sniffling as her hands began to close. "A good friend should treat your family with respect, no matter what, and if they don't then they don't respect you. I want you to know that I do respect you, okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks." She swept away a tear, then hugged Jade by surprise, her voice cracking up. "Y-You're a good friend." Jade smiled back at her and pointed to the stage as Cat was leaving. It was Tori's turn.

"Who are you auditioning as?"

"I'm auditioning for Hamlet." Tori grinned as Jade raised an eyebrow. Beck wanted to be Claudius, but why on earth was Tori auditioning as Hamlet. "I know Hamlet's always been a guy, but I thought the school could use something different this year!"

"You think you're going to manage?"

"Yep. I love Shakespeare, so I know all the lines." Tori rushed out onto stage and Jade folded her arms, chuckling softly as she wished the girl the best of luck.

The stage lights glistened off Tori's body as she stepped center stage, facing Sikowitz and the rest of the crowd. Jade couldn't help but admire how she was able to contortion hers to match with that of Hamlet's. She felt Beck step beside her, derailing her focus on her friend. He put his elbow to her shoulder and glanced out to Tori. "So who is Vega auditioning as?"

"Hamlet. She thinks he should be a she this time." Beck's eyebrows curled upwards and Jade stepped away from him, still uncomfortable near the man. He gave her a concerned look, but she turned away from him. "Sorry Beck, I just…don't want to be around you right now."

"Still?! Come on, Jade, you know-"

"You were responsible for Trina's death, asshole." He froze as she turned a fiery glare towards him and pointed out towards their friend. "You destroyed her, you destroyed her family! For what? Because Trina ticked you off? You had no right to do what you did, and I shouldn't even be covering for you..." Beck had been aggressive in making sure she didn't go off with the fact that she'd seen him cut that rope, but she was done with it. "In fact, tonight I'm going to tell Mr. Vega the truth!"

"What?" Beck spun her around with a sudden shout, pushing Jade up against a wall and clutching her wrists as he glared violently into her eyes. She held her breath and clenched her fists. His hair fell before his angry glare and dusty face, and his chest heaved with his flaring nostrils. "You will keep quiet about that, I already told you Trina's not worth my reputation at this school." His voice lowered to a harsh whisper and his eyes narrowed further. "She got what she deserved. Simple as that."

"So I was right? It was no accident?"

"I never said that!"

A loud noise was heard on the stage, driving their attention away from each other. A mirror had been moved out for Tori. The girl was now standing with her hands together at her waist, her right hand hidden in her left sleeve, and her eyes bearing down on the mirror that faced them. "To be, or not to be: That is the question." Tori trembled as she began to deliver Hamlet's famous soliloquy. "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; no more; and by sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation devoutly to be wished…"

Tori rolled her head towards the right, her chest expanding and her eyes widening slightly. Jade felt a deep pain beginning inside her, along with the rage of being trapped in Beck's grip. Thinking fast, she pushed him back and glared into his eyes. The others around them started to take notice, so he swept his finger across his nose and quickly hurried off the stage.

She looked back in time to see Tori slowly remove a prop dagger from her sleeve. The girl's voice lowered to a hushed whisper as she further studied her form in the standing mirror with tears beginning to form in her eyes. "To die, to sleep: To sleep: perchance to dream: ay there's the rub. For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil? Must give us pause…" She caressed the blade of the dagger with the open palm of her free hand, watching as she slid the blade along her palm. "There's the respect that makes calamity of so long life-" Her eyes flickered back to the mirror as her hand closed around the blade. "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, the oppressor's wrong; the proud man's contumely, the pangs of despised love, the law's delay, the insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the onworthy takes, when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin?"

Tori uncurled her hand and moved the prop blade to touch just beneath her jaw, and slowly she slid it down her throat towards her chest. Jade swallowed heavily as she watched Tori turn her head to the other side, still peering into her own gaze. "who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than to fly to others that we know not of?" She stopped the blade at the bottom of her ribcage and moved her second hand to the hilt. "Thus. Conscience does make cowards of us all; and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied over with the pale cast of thought, and enterprises of great pith and moment with this regard their currents turn awry, and lose the name of action…"

Tori turned her head to the audience and Sikowitz immediately rose up, applauding her for her performance-albeit incomplete. "Very good, Tori! Very good! I might have a part for you yet!" Tori tossed the prop to the side and turned fully towards him.

"Thanks Mr. Sikowitz! That's why you're my favorite teacher!"

"You do know your Shakespeare, it is impressive."

"Trina and I grew up reading books all the time, she actually loved Shakespeare more than I did. I preferred Poe." She laughed lightly and tucked her hair over her ear. "Anyway, that's it for my audition. Thank you for the opportunity!"

"Of course, of course." Tori bowed and hurried off the stage as Sikowitz called for Tiffany's audition. She hugged Jade, laughing with her and asking her thoughts.

"You were amazing!" Jade cheered. Her heart was still racing from the excitement, she would never have pulled off Hamlet's speech in such a manner. "It was like you were a completely different person."

"Thanks, I wanted it to be a believable performance. It's Hamlet's greatest moment. Though the power of that particular speech is in essence he's contemplating his own demise, to fall by his own hand." Tori looked towards her parents and flashed a wide grin. "Let's go down to mom and dad, I want to hear their thoughts on my performance."

When they made their way to David and Holly, the parents immediately hugged their daughter and congratulated her on her audition. Instantly Tori went from spirited to sadly gazing at an empty chair. "I wish Trina were here though, that would make things perfect."

Holly frowned and pulled her daughter into a hug, "I'm sorry baby…"

"It's not right that we're not all together, Momma." Jade frowned and turned her eyes to the stage curtains. She cursed Beck for what he'd done, and for involving Robbie in his sinister plot. She thought originally Robbie would have been the fall guy, but clearly not.

Shaking the thought from her mind, she turned her attention to the stage where Tiffany was hanging from the high ceiling above Shirley. What were they auditioning for, what scene in Hamlet involved this elaborate stunt? Even Sikowitz appeared confused as he shuffled through his notes.

Shirley faced him and spread her arms out, "Someone wrote in our script that Tiffany's character was to come flying in. Is that not true?"

"I'm not certain," Sikowitz admitted, "I am not sure exactly if anyone comes 'flying' into Hamlet." Jade lifted her eyes up the rope attached to Tiffany and as her eyes moved farther up a pit began forming in her.

At the very tip of the rope, she could see threads beginning to separate. Her eyes widened and her heart grew still. "No," she breathed. Tori looked over with her parents as Jade began running to the stage, pointing at the rope. Panic rushed through her veins and her heart thrashed about in her chest. "It's splitting! The rope's been cut!"

"What?!" Sikowitz looked up to the top of the rope, followed by Tiffany's quick upwards glance. The teacher froze and his jaw hung as Tori began to scream. The rope was splitting faster now, barely hanging by a thread. "Someone pull her back up!" Tiffany began to flail her arms, crying out with increasing fear. "Tiffany stop flailing you're only making it worse!"

Just as Jade made it to the stage, she heard the snap that silenced everyone. Her heart crashed as Tiffany's and Shirley's combined scream echoed in the theater. This was only ended by a loud thud as Tiffany's motionless body lay sprawled on top of Shirley.

Some ran out onto the stage, but stopped short just to study the bodies. Everyone was too stunned by what just happened, a sinister omen to Jade as she thought back to Trina. This couldn't be accidental. In the moment, however, all she could do was pray the girls would get up. Tiffany's head was twisted in an unnatural angle while Shirley's head had hit the hard stage coming down.

There was no way they were alive...

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And so it begins. What do you think of the chapter thus far? We may discover some events surrounding Trina's death as the killer seeks the person responsible. Indeed the way Tiffany and Shirley die _is_ that first initial warning reminding everyone that if the person responsible doesn't come forward, everyone will die.

But Jade is definitely _not_ going to be hated or judged throughout this.


	3. Locked In

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

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Chapter 3 (Locked In)

Jade followed Mr. Vega up to the stage, much to his chagrin as he preferred non-police to stay away from the bodies. She wasn't going to depart however. She knelt with David as he checked Tiffany's pulse. "They're both out cold," David muttered, "Gone." Jade clenched her eyes for a moment, then looked out to the audience where everyone was now staring fearfully at the stage. Tori was visibly shaken, her eyes wide and tears were flowing over her cheeks.

"Do you think this is a coincidence, Mr. Vega?" David moved along the rope, studying the frayed end. Someone cut it with a jagged blade, or rather, a sawing motion. As her eyes trailed back to Tiffany and Shirley, she felt a sudden shift inside of her. "Just like what happened to Trina. What do you think it means?"

"I don't know yet." David checked his phone and started to frown. "My battery's dead, though, and Holly didn't bring her cell. I didn't want her texting Gary…" The only other alternatives of calling emergency services would require use of the other cell phones, but Sikowitz was finicky and required everyone to toss their phones into a box during the auditions which he'd hidden back stage. Currently, Cat was checking for them. "We can't jump to any conclusions."

"You're sure about that? It looked deliberate." David hung his arm over his knee and bowed his head, sighing heavily. Everyone in here was suspect to yet another murder, and this time she had a bad feeling that Tiffany and Shirley were only the first. "What if more happens?"

"Our primary thing is to call for help and to keep everyone calm. Especially my daughter-she shouldn't have to see this again." Tori had been right there when Trina died, practically in the same spot as Shirley had been. Being direct witness to your sister's death was something Jade never thought she'd see someone suffer. "If it was deliberate, then I'm going to have to keep everyone inside."

"Jade!" Cat cried out from backstage. She and David looked up as Cat came running from behind the curtain with the box of cell phones. "They're gone! Someone removed all the batteries from our phones!" Her eyes widened as David slowly pushed himself to his feet. His face scrunched and his hands clenched.

"You're kidding." Jade rushed over, panicking as she peered into the box. Every phone had the backs removed and with the backs were the batteries. "Who would have had the time to go through all this?" She looked over to Sikowitz, curious if he'd done it, but when would he have had the time? He was never backstage, and she was sure everyone had been together. It didn't take long to remove a battery from a phone, however, and really it was just ten phones. She could remove batteries from all of them within a single minute! "Sikowitz! Do you know who would have been near the phones? All the batteries are gone."

Sikowitz curled a finger under his lip, humming under his breath. "Anyone probably, I only left them on the table in the prop closet."

"It doesn't matter," David waved his hand in the air and walked off the stage. "Someone needs to signal for help." Jade and Cat followed him. The others listened earnestly. "The phones are worthless. Does _anyone_ have a working phone?"

"I left mine with my sister," Sinjin remarked. A wrinkle formed between David's eyebrows and he looked to Sikowitz, who merely shook his head.

"I put mine with the students." The man pulled his phone from the box. A desperate look came over his face as he studied the back of his cell phone. "Sinjin's my Teacher Assist, I would have let him keep the phone…"

"Can we leave the school then?" Beck inquired to Jade's annoyance. She shot a glare in his direction while David denied his question. The officer pointed to the bodies on the stage and started to frown.

"That was deliberate, which means everyone in this room-this building right now could have had something to do with it…" Tori's eyes widened and she took a staggering step backwards. "Nobody leaves until I can signal the police. Sikowitz, Sinjin, do either of you have access to the office?"

"Should be unlocked," Sinjin shrugged, "With the principal's security system he never locks the office up. You think maybe one of the landlines will work?"

"They should-"

"They're cut," Robbie admitted. Jade froze and David raised an eyebrow at him while the rest stared suspiciously at him. He was sweaty and fidgety, but then, nobody looked calm in this instance. "I saw the power box, all of the wires were cut. The auditorium was built where the school's electric system was-someone cut the wires."

"We have to try," Jade replied, "There's a chance you're wrong." With that, she guided everyone to the office. All the lights in the school were indeed off, and there was no moonlight coming in, which gave her the impression that the principal's security system might have been activated. That was her fear, but she figured it must be improbable.

The more they walked, the more nervous she became. Try as she might, she couldn't hide the growing fear that something was off.

When they made it to the front office, the doors were locked tight. She pushed, pulled, and even tried kicking them open. David suggested Sikowitz try his keys, but as the man felt around for his teacher keys, his face slowly became distraught. "They're gone! I-I must have misplaced them." He emptied his pockets and looked over to Sinjin. "Sinjin, do you have your faculty set?"

The man immediately began searching his own pockets, only to come up short. Jade could feel her heartbeat beginning to rise. Her eyes drifted towards the school's front doors, which the windows on either side had ironclad bars shooting out across. Her hair started to stand on end as tiny beads of sweat formed on her forehead. "Guys, I think someone activated the security system…"

"Impossible!" Sikowitz rushed to the front doors. "You'd need to enter the access code, and I certainly didn't." He gripped the bars on the door and his arms locked as he tried to push the bar in. His eyes widened and Jade's heart began to sink. "Check the classroom doors! Quickly!"

Only certain doors would have full bars blocking the area. The front door only had a metal gate that came up from the ground _outside_, while the doors themselves had a built in bar that ran right through the upper lock, at the same time locking up the exit bars. The classroom doors would have metal bars blocking the outside of the doors.

As they ran for Sikowitz's classroom, Jade saw what she'd feared in the distance. His door was blocked by three bars coming down from the top of the doorframe. The others screamed out as they came to the same realization, and Tori even went so far as to faint on the spot.

They were locked in the building with no conceivable way out. Andre tried to help Tori up while the others continued to panic. Jade glanced to Mr. Vega, who was doing the best he could to keep calm. This inspired her to do the same. "Could there be anyone else in the school besides us?" Sikowitz frowned at her.

"It is possible someone else that knows the code. Like another teacher or even the janitor."

"Okay. You look around for a possible way out. Sinjin, you're smart so try and figure a way to contact help." Sinjin nodded and everyone parted ways. Jade sat with Tori until the girl woke up. She eventually did after several minutes, moaning softly as she rolled her head to the side.

"My head is pounding." Tori put her hand to her forehead and Jade looked to her with sympathy.

"You did hit the floor pretty badly."

"No. My head's been pounding ever since Trina…you know, ever since she fell."

"Migraines are typical of stress, Tori. Hell, you were practically under Trina when…you know…" Tori swept her hand down her right temple and along her neck as her chest began heaving. Tori's eyes widened for a second and Jade reached over, gently touching her wrist. "Tori. Hey. I'm right here." Tori's eyes filled with tears and she quickly pulled her hand away.

"Tri-Tri…I used to call her that when I was a kid. Growing up, I always clung to her…" A lump formed in Jade's throat and her chest grew heavy. Tori clenched her eyes and curled her fingers. "Jade?"

"Yeah?"

"Back there at the audition? I saw you and Beck…in the mirror." She started to tense as Tori's eyes slid open and her breathing hitched. "I was watching…Jade, did he hurt you? What was he doing?" Her lips fell back into a frown and she turned her gaze away.

"Nothing, he didn't do anything to me." Tori sucked in a deep breath of air and dropped the back of her head to the wall.

"Is this really happening? We're trapped in school and someone just killed Tiffany and Shirley?" She didn't know what to say. With Tori still in shock, it was hard to admit to anything that would further devastate the girl. Tori's eyelids slid back down and her arms folded over her waist as she began to tremble. "I still see her. In my dreams, Jade…I see Trina…"

"That's natural." Tori's face tensed for a second and she looked back with a hopeful and frightened look. "When you lose someone so close to you as you did with Trina, it's natural for the subconscious mind to try and bring back memories of that person." At least, that's what her father always said. She often tried to rationalize everything due to this. "It'll get better Tori. I'm sure it will. As for what happened to Shirley and Tiffany, I have an idea but no proof." She wanted to say Beck was responsible, but that would not only be jumping the gun, but she'd be accusing him for the wrong reasons. "Don't put yourself down because you dream of your sister."

"If you say so. Where are the others?"

"They're looking around the school, hopefully they'll find something." Tori breathed in and looked up as Cat rounded the corner. She gave a weak smile and waved her hand. "Hey Cat." Cat hurried to Tori's side, hugging her neck.

"You're awake, I'm glad!" Cat looked over to Jade and frowned. "Nothing's been found yet. How are you keeping so calm?"

"I think it's just having a dad that's a psychologist," Jade shrugged, "I try to keep a rational mind in some cases like this." Tori smiled at Jade while Cat sat down between the girls. "So…we're stuck then?"

"Yeah, but if there's a killer on the loose, I know where some sports equipment is that we can use for protection. You know, the gym's open. A lot of places seem to be open. The gym, the indoor pool, some classrooms…" Cat snapped her fingers, seemingly thinking of something. "I did find a phone in an open classroom, but Robbie was right, the phones don't work."

Tori appeared visibly shaken by the news and slowly stood up. Jade and Cat looked up at her with concern, rising with her and asking if she was okay. "I'm going to go to the restroom. I feel like I'm going to be sick."

"All right," Jade pat her hands together and sighed heavily. "I think we should all stick together though. On the chance there really is someone in here with all of us, we don't want to be caught wandering the halls alone."

"Yeah." Tori swept her bangs from her face and released a shuddering breath. "Last thing I want to do is be alone…"

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So they're officially stuck, hopefully everyone follows the buddy system here. Honestly I'm going to try and avoid the stereotypes that most horror movie stories/tales get. One thing that kills the stereotype is Jade right there: The lead female isn't a panicky blonde who's best move is "run" XD. She'll be a survivalist here, so as said the whole group kind of relies on her. Anyway, tell me what your thoughts are on this particular chapter. This is more investigative mystery than horror, at the same time, so there will be clues scattered about for the reader and the characters. Who knows, maybe there's even an extra person in the school?


	4. An Abuser's Rage

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: By the way I put up a poll for fun on my profile pertaining to this story, check it out when you can. Enjoy the chapter

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Chapter 4 (An Abusive Rage)

Jade walked into the auditorium where she saw David studying the rope and harness on Tiffany's body. She looked back over her shoulder, anticipating whether Beck was behind her or not. Seeing the all clear, she made her way carefully up the stage. "Mr. Vega?" The man was in deep contemplation, knelt and with his forefingers tracing his frown lines.

"Yes Jade?" His eyebrow tucked upwards and he slowly looked her way. She was terrified of what she wanted to tell him, but mostly on the part of fear over what Beck would do to her. It would be good for David to know on the chance that he could detain Beck if he were the one responsible for what happened here.

She took a deep breath and held it for the moment as she looked towards the bodies on the stage. "Have you found anything worth noting yet?"

"No clues as to who could have done it."

"I might know a suspect…" David put his hand to his knee and slowly pushed himself up. His eyes met hers and his forehead creased over . "I think it's worth noting that the set up for what happened here is the same as what happened with Trina. Almost entirely. Even Tori was standing near the same spot as Shirley." David looked down to the bodies. His features tightened as his hands closed up.

"So you're definitely assuming the person that did this is the person that killed my daughter?"

"I don't have the proof yet, but it's a possibility." There was opportunity, but she didn't know motive. Unlike with Trina, Beck was being chewed out for trying to flirt around with Tori and some other girls. Tori told Trina, and Trina went to complain to him. Jade heard the woman herself say to him that she would be talking to Jade about it. It was pretty soon after that she was killed. "Trina's death wasn't an accident, Mr. Vega. Someone killed her because she was going to do something-the same person forced me to keep quiet." David walked over to her and crossed his arms.

"If you know who killed my daughter, tell me." Just then the doors to the auditorium flew open. Jade heard Beck's voice and she began to tense.

"There you are Jade! I've been looking for you." Jade turned to face the man walking down the lane between all the chairs. Her heart sank as her body started to heat. "We're all hanging out in the cafeteria. You should join us."

"Mr. Vega and I were just discussing what happened here."

David waved his hand and turned to the bodies, kneeling down beside them. "It's fine Jade, I need to do this investigation on my own." She held back a slight whimper. David lifted up the cut portion of the rope and looked backstage. "I'll need to see the props backstage. Jade, don't hesitate to let me know whatever you find."

"But-" She met Beck's gaze once more and questioned her next move. There was a sudden feeling of fear sweeping over her in the thought that she may be next on the list if Beck was indeed responsible for the deaths of these two girls. _"Stay calm Jade, don't freak. Don't show your fear." _She cleared her doubts away and made her way off the stage. "So Beck…everyone's in the cafeteria? The security system didn't lock it down?"

"Right. Though you should see the outside patio, you can't get out there but you can see through the windows that it has bars like a jail cell framing everything." She hoped that the principal would reconsider his security program. A school shouldn't be locked up like a maximum security prison every night! "Come on, let's check it out."

He grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her forward, pulling her out of the auditorium. Her eyes darted over to David as her heart began to race. She attempted to pull her arm away, but his grip was too tight, bruising her wrist.

Once outside, he yanked her around and slammed her back up against the wall. She yelped as her back throbbed with a violent sensation. "What were you talking to him about!" Beck leaned close and her eyes shot wide open, meeting his fiery glare. "You were about to tell him about me weren't you?"

"Stop it!" His right hand locked her wrists in place over one another while his left forearm was pinning her throat against the wall. His nostrils flared out as his hair, damp with sweat, swung loosely before his deadly eyes. "I had nothing to do with what happened to Tiffany and Shirley, Jade. Don't you start filling that cop's head with lies."

"Y-You'll have to prove you had nothing to do with it." She tried to push him away, but he soon pinned her body with his, trapping her further. "Let me go, Beck!"

"You're going to keep your mouth shut. How many times have I told you to keep that mouth shut? All you're good for is verbally attacking people or talking out of turn, so act like a good woman and quit letting the wrong shit come out." She clenched her teeth as he leaned in closer, his hot breath beat down on her cheeks, poisoning her.

Behind them they were being watched, Tori was standing behind a stone pillar and trembling with fear. Jade could barely make out her figure. The girl stepped into view, her eyes remained glued to Beck's. Jade wanted to call out, tell Tori to run, but she could barely breathe much less get a word out any longer.

"Let her go, Beck." Beck tensed and looked over his left shoulder, freezing his eyes on Tori's slow approach. "She's your girlfriend, you shouldn't abuse her."

"This doesn't involve you, Tori. It's not your argument, you're always trying to involve yourself in our disputes. Learn to stay out of it! I swear to god sometimes you're as annoying as your sister was." Tori's lips fell and her face grew blank for a moment. Jade's heart froze and Beck hesitated, as though reconsidering his words.

"I said get off her!" Tori ran for Beck and he held firm, narrowing his eyes. To Jade's shock, Tori put her hands to Beck's shoulders and tore him away from the wall and onto the ground. He flipped onto his back as Tori leapt onto him, straddling his waist with her legs as she began punching his chest. Tears shot down her cheeks as she continued to scream, losing all control.

Jade flung her palms to the wall and started to pant as she watched her friend attacking her boyfriend. Thinking fast she ran over and tried to pull Tori off. "Tori, relax, it's okay!" She didn't want Tori to piss Beck off and eventually get hurt herself. This man was violent and dangerous, and Tori wasn't as strong as he was.

With that, both girls were thrown off, Tori struck the nearby wall hard and Beck began to rise from the ground like a demon. His chest was heaving, his eyes were wild and filled with anger, and sweat drenched his body. Tori looked up at him and gasped as his nostrils flared out and his muscles flexed. Jade moved her arm out, blocking him. "Don't do it, Beck. Don't you dare."

"Back off." He put his hand to her chest and pushed her away, causing her to stumble backwards and fall toward the ground. Tori pulled herself up and began to whimper as Beck's lip curled into a slight smirk. "I told you to stay out of our fights."

"What's gotten into you?" Tori asked. "Why have you changed?"

"Changed? I've _always_ been like this." It was true, he had a dangerous habit of being controlling. Hence why he was always so demanding and able to get her to shut up if she was acting out of turn, but he hadn't been _violent_ until shortly before Trina's death.

"You're scaring me…"

"You should be scared. You're nothing to me." Tori looked to be shrinking beneath his shadow. Jade needed to get him away from this area, and fast. He wouldn't listen to them, so maybe he'd listen to someone else. She ran around the corner to where the cafeteria was and called for help.

Billy was the only one she could see closest to the kitchen, so he was the one to come running back with her. "What are you doing?" Billy put his hand to Beck's shoulder and the man turned an angry glare onto him. Tori's eyes widened as she plastered herself against the wall. "Why are you attacking them?"

Beck swept his arm up, throwing Billy's arm away from his. He grabbed Bill's shirt collar and pointed at the man's face. "You stay out of this shit." Jade saw Cat hurry around the corner, stopping only when she saw Beck's angry form. Cat moved her hands over her mouth and threw a concerned look to Jade. Seeing her, Beck scoffed and released Bill. He took a few steps backwards and turned away to point at Tori. "You stay out of it too, unless you're in a hurry to see your sister again." Tori moved her hand to her chest, gasping softly as the man walked away.

Jade ran up to Tori, checking her for any physical signs of trauma, "Don't let him get to you, Tori. He's just being an asshole."

"It's fine…I'm fine…" Tori took a deep breath and let out a whimpering exhale. She looked over to Billy and gave him a friendly nod. "Thank you." He smiled back. "Dad's in the auditorium, right?"

"Yes."

"I think I'm going to go talk to him…Mom's helping Mr. Sikowitz and Sinjin try to figure a way to reach anyone outside the school." Tori moved to the auditorium doors and Cat walked over, looking over Jade.

"Are you okay? Beck looked really scary." Cat tucked her hair behind her ear and closed her eyes. "I've never seen him that angry before!"

"There's a lot of things going on." Jade began walking down the hall and Cat followed after her. Her body's light trembling was beginning to subside, but a bright purple bruise had begun to form on her wrist. Cat reached over, touching the tender spot with a gentle touch.

"I'm sorry he hurt you."

"It's okay." She moved her arm down and breathed in slowly. Aside from Tori, Cat was her best friend. She'd known the girl before the rest in the group, including Beck himself, which was why she so often hung out. It was Cat that introduced Beck and Jade, since he was in one of her classes. "Cat. Between me and you, unless there really is someone else in this school…I think Beck might have killed Tiffany and Shirley." Cat's eyes widened and Jade quickly shrugged. "I don't have proof of it, but there's a good chance…You know he's the one that killed Trina, right? Cut her cord, probably didn't mean to kill her but that's what happened…He told me to keep quiet about it."

"You should tell Mr. Vega!"

"I tried to, but Beck must have known what I was up to because he followed me into the auditorium. That's what he was getting violent over out here." The girls stopped walking and Cat instantly threw her arms around her neck.

"I'm glad you're okay!" Jade chuckled as Cat took a step back and looked off to the locked doors. "If you want, when we get out of here tomorrow, I can ask Sam to help you get away from him. My older brother, you know is in the military-he's pretty good at scaring people like Beck-and Sam's really good at it too!" Jade smiled at her friend's innocence. It was a tempting thought, but she really didn't see any way that they could just 'scare' Beck away from her.

"We'll see. How are those two, by the way? Last I heard, Sam had a crush on the guy."

"Oh yeah." Cat pulled at her hair and gave out an airy laugh. "The reason Sam wasn't here tonight for my audition was because she's on a date with my brother. Thank god my little brother's not here though, he always wanted to tag along on Travis's dates."

The younger brother was the weird one that was currently living out of state with Cat's parents. Travis was back in town for a little bit before he'd have to go back overseas.

"Jade, I'm worried about Tori." Cat's statement was blunt as it was shocking, but she understood the concern. The psychological impact that Tori was undergoing had to be devastating. "I never really thought about how close to her sister she was, and now she's just constantly depressed."

"Tori's afraid of water, will not go into the deep end of a pool, and for good reason. When she was young, she nearly drowned in one, and Trina was the one that dove in and pulled her out. Ever since then, she clung to her-now that her sister's gone, I think that in itself is just as traumatizing as if it had been her. Which-you know she almost died too that night…"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm glad she's okay though." Cat peered off towards the gymnasium. The school's indoor pool cut right through the gym, and it was approximately fifteen feet deep at its deepest end. Throughout life, Cat was like Trina in the sense that she was the most athletically gifted of the group. It wasn't so much in movement though as it was in swimming. "Hey Jade? You think maybe it wouldn't hurt to go for a swim?"

"Probably not best without a swimsuit."

"I guess not." The girl knew every crevice of that pool and had been down to the deepest point and back. She prided herself for being able to hold her breath underwater for about eight minutes. "I haven't really been working on my swimming lately, I kind of want to."

Jade rolled her eyes and smiled at Cat. The girl was gazing longingly at the gym. "Well go ahead, are there any uniforms in there at all?"

"Usually coach wants us to bring our own bathing suits, but they do have some that are kept in the laundry room with the towels…" Cat looked over with a wide grin and arched brows. "Want to come with? It will really help you take the edge off, I think. You should relax." Jade chuckled softly and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well you're not going off by yourself, that's for sure."

"Yes!"

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So yes Cat and Jade are extremely good friends in this as well as being friends with Tori. There are some other things that haven't been mentioned yet and will (You'll appreciate them). Beck's not such a good guy in this but we'll see what's going on. Let me know your thoughts on this, and don't forget to check out my profile and vote on the poll


	5. Last Breath of Life

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: There are some instances where, like a lot of thrillers you'll see a death in the perspective of the soon to be deceased. This will help give some clues to the killer's identity as well. Sometimes this won't occur, but it will when the main character isn't doing anything essentially. Such as we know Jade and Cat are swimming.

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Chapter 5 (Last Breath of Life)

Billy walked with Greg, muttering under his breath about the school. They transferred here with Shirley and Tiffany from their prior school to get involved in the theater program it had. Their friend, Sarah Morgan opted to remain where they were. "This is like that play back home that we did. Remember?" Greg laughed as Bill continued to grumble. "Group of kids gets locked up in a school with a killer. It's too…I don't know."

The theater production they did at the last school cast him as the villain who was going around trying to kill anyone that had been witness to a crime he'd committed. Of course, it wasn't real like this was. The feeling of seeing Shirley crushed beneath Tiffany still stung him. "Sarah's not going to like hearing her friends are gone…"

"You seem ambivalent. You were dating Shirley."

"I'm not, I just-I don't know how to react." He cared very deeply for Shirley and was distraught when he witnessed her death, but now he was numb for the fact that they were all trapped with someone that may very likely be gunning for them. Not to mention, one of the people had an abusive boyfriend that they had to work through. "This day is getting shittier by the minute. How am I supposed to respond?"

"I don't know. I think maybe I should have just stayed home tonight man." They all should have. After all, had they stayed home none of this would be happening. "But I'm going to use the restroom right quick. So wait up if you need to." Bill gazed down the long hallway and waved his hand through the air. He wanted to go ahead and do some math work to occupy his mind, but his textbook was in his locker.

"You know where my locker's at, right?" Greg nodded. "I'm going to my math book an d do some studying."

"All right, fair enough." They parted and Bill walked the hallway, shoving his hands into his pockets. The corners of his lips fell back into a frown as his mind drifted to Shirley. His heart couldn't break much more than it already had. Shirley didn't even want to come, but he thought it'd be good for her to at least try and audition.

"I should have just put on a movie or something. Shouldn't have let her come to this damn place." He rounded the corner and walked for a minute before finding his locker. It was hidden in the shadows though, making it difficult for him to see the lock. As he turned the dial, he thought onto the current situation at hand. Typically, in a circumstance like this, it was best to stick with the buddy system and stay out of dark areas. His mind was too preoccupied to really concern himself with such trivial matters though.

An eerie feeling crept up his spine and he thought he heard something. It sounded like footsteps but they weren't heavy all. Rather, they were soft like a kitten's step to the point that he wouldn't have detected them had it not been for the creaking of the school's old floorboards.

When he looked over his shoulder, he saw nothing in the darkness. There was one window, but it only let in so much moonlight. In the corner of his eyes he traced the line where the moonlight met the shadow, and he saw something startling that looked like black fabric moving out of the light.

"Someone there?" His heart began to race and he turned back to his locker, making haste as he turned the dial. It didn't take long to open the locker and grab the book. His stomach started to clench as he waited at the sound of the floorboards creaking behind him. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes drifted to the mirror where he could see a cloaked figure moving in the background. Fear spiked up and he turned on his heels to see the cloaked figure standing in the moonlight.

The cloak was burlap, one of the costumes from the theatre rooms. The person wasn't too tall, but they weren't short either. Their shoulders were sloped and not at all broad as he thought the killer might be. He could see no recognition of any other physical features. Even their hands were covered in leather gloves. Of course, in the person's right hand was a knife with at least five inches from hilt to tip. "Where the hell did you get that?" The person lifted the blade up, gazing down at it with an eerie silence. "I'm guessing the cafeteria workroom…" It did look like a steak knife. Which of course, he wanted nothing to do with. "So if you exu-" The killer's left hand reached into the split in the cloak and slowly removed a workman's hammer. "Oh great. What are you going to do with that? You realize it's a knife, not a nail?"

With that, the killer lunged for him. He screamed out and leapt to the side, then broke for the nearby stairs. Behind him, the killer began to chase him. The longer he ran, the harder his breathing became. Behind him the figure ran still up to speed without any sign they were tiring.

Their step did seem to slow after some amount of time, but it didn't help that his own lungs felt as though they were on fire. "Help!" He strained trying to scream. Fighting didn't seem like a viable option for him, but he couldn't possibly run forever.

Eventually he found an open classroom door and hid behind it. His breaths fell out labored as he scanned the room for a place to hide. Then came the sound of footsteps once again, though intentional and rhythmic. With a whimper he shot underneath the teacher's desk.

This was a science classroom, which oddly enough filled him with panic. The classroom door shut and he poked his head out from hiding in time to see the person using a set of keys to lock the door. _Janitor keys?_ Or were they the ones Sikowitz said where stolen?

He hugged his knees to his chest in hopes of waiting out the killer. He couldn't easily sneak out of the room without being caught.

While waiting, sounds of drawers opening and closing echoed through the air. His only thought was to that of Shirley as he prayed she was safe and that he would be safe as well.

After several minutes of holding his breath, the sounds of movement in the room ceased. His heart began to pound and his body trembled violently while questioning whether or not to move. The answer came with the presence of a strange liquid dripping over the desk and landing in front of him. Steam was rising up, causing his nerves to flare up once again, The liquid began to move towards him, touching his jeans. The corrosive material began eating through, causing a slight whimper to fall from his lips.

Just as his hands flew to his mouth, a great force pushed the desk off him. He felt a powerful blow to his back sending him hard against the wall. "Please." He started to pass out.

When he awoke, he found himself laying amidst the desk, with his wrists bound with rope. He jerked his arms in hopes of freedom, and began to scream for someone to her. To his displeasure, he saw the killer standing nearby,

"Stay back!" He began to kick his leg, but quickly found it to betide down as well, bound to the leg of a desk. Soon his attacker was upon him, kneeling beside him with the hammer swinging absently in the air almost like a pendulum. His eyes studied it as a lump formed in his throat. "Oh god no…p-please…"

With sudden fury, the hammer fell upon his left arm, crushing the bone. A jolt of pain shot through him as he let out a fierce yell. "Don't do this!" Tears stung his eyes as his chest began to jump up and down. His body flinched and his eyes widened as the hammer rose back into the air. Then with incredible speed it came crashing back down, crushing the bone in his left leg. His body arched upwards as another scream flew from his lips.

This continued until his entire body was numb with pain and immobile. Each breath he took was painful as his lungs expanded against his cracked, broken ribs. As he attempted to sob, his body quaked. It was then the killer brought the knife back. His eyes focused on the weapon as the moonlight glinted off the silver metal.

_"I'm coming to see you again Shirley"_ He was pleading for death at this point, realizing there was no other alternative. Sadly this person was taking their time in killing him, and why?

He heard a faint voice asking about Trina, and his heart stopped. "I-I don't know what happened to her. I never did anything. Is-Is this why you're doing this?" There was no answer, only further silence. "Oh god…please…"

Without warning he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his side. A gasp shot out from him as blood spilled out onto the floor. He trembled, begging for death with a raspy voice. The killer then wiped the knife off on his clothes and rose to their feet. He turned his eyes to the blood pooling out on the ground. As further insult, the person took a nearby flask of the strange chemical from earlier and began to pour it onto his chest.

His hands tightened into their palms and his head jerked back as the burning sensation moved along his body. He let out a violent scream of anguish, jerking his body left and right as the killer left the room. "No! No p-please!" His sobs fell short as the person exited and closed the door. As the tears dripped out onto the ground, he gazed up at the ceiling with a mournful, lost gaze.

What had he done to deserve this? Nothing. Just a victim of someone out of their mind. As the excruciating seconds turned to minutes, he began to pale. Sweat and the foul odor of urine mixed with the blood pool beneath him.

As his head fell to the side, his last thought was to Shirley, and how at the very least he would be reunited with her.

His eyelids closed over as his chest deflated and his heart began to slow as it could not keep up with the amount of blood leaving the body. Soon he breathed his last as the final bit of light in him vanished away.

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The killer knows science and physical features are briskly mentioned. I'm enjoying the poll results, I may have to put a new one up on down the line just to see how everyone's suspicions are affected, haha. Well tell me your thoughts on this chapter. Sad that I must rid my cameo characters off first, but as such they are minor.


	6. Searching Party

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

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Chapter 6 (Searching Party)

Jade pat down her wet hair with a dry towel as she watched Cat swim laps around the pool. Her skin was covered in wrinkles, but she did feel refreshed. Both girls had full swimmer's bathing suits, though Jade had already redressed. "Cat I think we've been in the pool long enough." She watched the girl dive under, only to pop up at the wall beside her. A grin stretched out on her face and her hands splashed out on the ground.

"I could stay in here all night." The girl pulled herself out of pool and turned to sit and splash her feet through h the water. "It would give us something to do. I mean if we're going to be stuck here until-when do the locks open up?"

"Six." She grabbed a fresh towel and tossed it over to Cat. She was amazed no one bothered them during the time they were swimming, though Holly had come by when she was trying to find everyone. "Figure everyone's met up again? Mrs. Vega said everyone was split up."

"As long as they were in pairs, right?"

"Right." Once Cat got dressed, they made their way out of the pool and cut through the gym. In the hallway, everyone else was grouped together with David trying to keep them calm. The group looked at them and Jade hurried over to David's side. "What's going on?"

"Bill's missing, and we heard shouts." Greg muttered. "He went to get something out of his locker while I went to the restroom. I went to see if he was still there, but he was gone. His locker door was still open, and his book was sprawled out on the floor."

Fear struck her and immediately she wanted to know what happened. "Let's check out the locker. Why would you let him go off on his own anyway?" Greg guided them around the corner and towards where Bill's last known location was. True to word, the locker was open and a math book lay sprawled out on the ground. Jade curled a finger over her lip as David began to size up the scene. Greg's voice broke and his body trembled.

"It wasn't like the locker was that far. He's my best friend, we need to find him."

"How long has he been gone for?"

"About thirty minutes." She turned her eyes to the group and frowned. Everyone was there; David, Holly, Sinjin, Mr. Sikowitz, Robbie, Andre, Beck, Tori, Cat, Greg, and herself. "At least, that's how long I think he's been gone for."

"Okay where was everyone else then?" David inquired, "I know Jade and Cat were in the pool, since Holly told me that much."

"Sinjin and I were outside the front office," Sikowitz replied. "Trying to figure out how to break into the office…" The man reddened for a brief moment, embarrassed with the choice of words. "Holly was with us until we suggested she see where everyone else was."

Tori looked up at the locker with a frown and spoke softly, "I was in the auditorium with Dad. Then I had to go to the restroom, I've been feeling sick lately." Jade frowned and nodded slowly as Tori rubbed her stomach. "I saw Beck by himself though." Beck did a double take as all eyes flew onto him. "He was just wandering around."

"I was in the cafeteria with Andre and Robbie!"

Andre shook his head and raised up an eyebrow, "Nah man, you went for a walk around the school." This revelation tempted Jade to further suspecting her boyfriend of further malicious activity, but they'd yet to prove anything. Hell, they hadn't even found a body yet!

"Mr. Vega?" David looked at her and she leaned back against a locker. "When you don't have a body on the scene, what does that say?"

"The person's considered missing typically unless there is some evidence of a murder." There was no blood on the ground, the only clues pointing to something wrong was that Bill left the locker open and dropped the book. "Right now, I'd say simply Bill is missing."

"So let's search around for him." She turned towards the others and started mapping out the school. "Tori, Greg, you two take the east wing. Sinjin and Mr. Sikowitz take the west. Andre, Robbie, keep Beck in your sight and search the northern wing of the school." Beck rolled his eyes as the men nodded. "Cat?"

"Yes?"

"You and Mrs. Vega search the south wing." She hadn't actually _planned_ to team up with David, but it just ended up that way. David raised an eyebrow at her as she pointed to the stairs. "Mr. Vega, would you search upstairs with me? There's not really much on the second floor." He nodded and motioned for the others to start looking around.

"All right. Let's get a move on." He led her up the stairs and Jade made sure to study for any signs of struggle. At the same time she wanted to look for anything that might indicate whether or not Bill was alive. "Jade."

"Yes?"

"Tori told me what happened with you and Beck earlier." She frowned as the man looked towards her with some concern. "I know I was hard on all of you a few weeks ago, and I am truly sorry for that. I didn't know you already got hell from your boyfriend on a regular basis-"

"It's fine. Your daughter just died, you had every right to act the way you did then. All of you did…even though I didn't have anything to do with it."

"Right. It was unfair-"

"It really wasn't. I know some people would think it was, but yeah…I was part of that group that insulted Trina all the time, and I did say and do things that weren't right, so to suspect me as having something to do with her death really isn't that wrong. It's understandable, really, and your anger was perfectly justified." He smiled sadly and reached over, patting her shoulder.

He didn't have to say anything, she could see the appreciation on his face and that was enough for her. "You know, you're a better person than the others in that group as far as I'm concerned. The fact that you can acknowledge your own behavior and admit where your own missteps are without making excuses for the others is a strong quality to have."

"I don't know if myself and 'strong' really go well together." She pocked her hands and looked away as an eerie heaviness descended upon her. "I can't even leave Beck because I'm afraid to. Even more embarrassing, I'm wanting to be a psychologist like my dad! But I make excuses for him…just like I can't be nice when he's around. He just wants to look like he's got some sort of control-that's all it is. And it's true what they say about abusers, using fear to control you-he tells me all the time that someone as shitty as I am could never have anyone in this world that wants to put up with me." She scoffed angrily and grumbled. David shook his head.

"You've been doing a pretty good job keeping everyone here calm for the last couple of hours, and you haven't panicked just yet. You have a lot of strength whether you realize that or not. I've seen good qualities in you when you're not around that man, so that tells me maybe there is more to you than how I've heard my daughters talk to you."

"Yeah, but I can't even get away from him. How pathetic is that?"

"You're young so you're lucky. You will have many people who will care for you, and you're able to live separate from him, giving you more freedom than you realize." She started to smile as a sense of hope rekindled in her. "I've also met your father before, I know he is a good psychologist-"

"You met him?" She was startled, but at the same time, she guessed it to do with a cross in their careers. "When?"

"He was called in to counsel on multiple cases. If the victim had a close relative or child, he would counsel them. I wish he'd talk to Tori, but she insists she doesn't need counseling. Yet, I can't help but feel she needs him." She agreed, Tori had been through a lot and seemed on a downward spiral mentally. "Either way I was saying, you've got a father who knows how to deal with crisis and I'm sure he'd be able to help you with what you're going through in regards to Beck."

"Maybe." They turned a corner and saw a classroom door that was cracked and without bars blocking it. "Hey, let's look in there." As they made their way to the door, she felt a strange feeling that something was warding her away. Her stomach tightened and she pushed through, opening the door.

A wave of foul smells struck them cold and her eyes fell onto a terrible sight. As her hands covered her mouth and nose, she heard David curse. Bill was laying with his bruised arms and legs bound to the desks. Skin on his chest had been burnt and melted down, and the ground beneath him was soiled with blood and feces. "Holy shit…" She swallowed down a storm of bile and turned away, uncertain if it would be a good idea to let anyone else see this body. "I think I'm going to be sick…"

"Trust me when I say that seeing a dead body never gets any easier, Jade."

She didn't want to say it was Beck that did this, and if it had been him, she would truly feel terrible because she was the one that got Bill to stop the man's abuse.

Jade fell into the door gasping for air as the bile continued to choke her. David walked towards Bill and knelt down beside him, careful not to get in the blood. "It's difficult when you know you can't examine the body. I don't have any equipment, so I'm not allowed to do anything otherwise I'd be tampering with the evidence. We were wearing gloves when studying the end of that rope that Tiffany had, but other than that…we don't have what we need to investigate this."

Sweat drenched her neck and her body shivered as an overwhelming bout of anxiety came over her. "B-Beck…" Tears welled up in her eyes as her breathing grew shallow. David looked up at her with an arched eyebrow as she turned her head forward, moving her forehead against the frame. "Bill stopped Beck from hurting me earlier. I-I don't know if he's the one responsible for this or not, but…"

"Come on…" David frowned and stood up, sighing heavily as he turned away. "We need to inform the others what happened here. If you think it's Beck, I will try to isolate him somehow-maybe put him in the janitor's closet. Whoever is doing this, we'll have to subdue one way or another."

"At the very least…let's not let him be alone, or alone with anyone else…"

* * *

So that's never a pleasant thing, but do tell me your thoughts.


	7. Suspicion and Accusation

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 7 (Suspicions and Accusations)

It didn't take long to find everyone and gather them around the cafeteria. Jade was still shaken, trying to erase the image from memory. Stumbling across a dead body like that, however, was not an image that could be forgotten. "Did you find him?" Greg asked hopefully. "Where is he? Why is he not here?"

"I don't know how to say this." Jade tapped her fingertips together at her waist, moaning under her breath at the visual. "Bill is dead…there really is someone after us…" Greg's eyes widened and his body began to shake lightly as a whimper fell from his lips. Jade meshed her eyebrows together, forming a small wrinkle between them. "Greg?" She looked into his eyes and could see the confusion and the sadness growing. His voice broke into a raspy sob as his hand moved over his eyes.

"H-He was my best friend…I-I can't believe-" Greg fell back against a wall as the others started to appear more terrified than they were moments before. "What am I going to do now?" His voice grew weaker and his body trembled more.

Beck chortled and Tori snapped her eyes towards him, pointing angrily at the man. "Beck! You and Billy had that fight earlier!" Greg's eyes went wild and he shot up as Beck threw his hands up defensively. Jade's muscles tensed as she watched Greg's fiery glare burn into the man.

"I didn't do anything! I swear!" She knew what was coming now, and part of her wanted to let it happen. She wanted to see him get his ass handed to him, but the 'good girlfriend' side of her wanted to keep any harm from falling onto him. "I mean yeah I scared the guy but I didn't kill him. Wouldn't have been worth my time anyway."

"You asshole!" Greg's chest heaved as his fists clenched up tight. Jade put her hand to her chest and watched the man charge into Beck, tackling him to the floor. "You killed him didn't you! He said you were hitting your girlfriend so he stopped you, and you didn't like it did you!" Beck screamed out as Greg slammed a fist hard into his stomach. Tori yelped and leapt backwards as the others remained frozen, staring in shock at the two men.

"That's enough of that!" David rushed in, pulling Greg off. Greg struggled and begged to be released, but David kept him in a full nelson hold while Jade hurried to Beck's side to check his injuries. She knew her boyfriend would want her to show some concern one way or another.

Beck sat up and hung his arm over his elbow, groaning as blood trickled from the corner of his lips. His eyes were crazed and full of anger. "How about asking questions before jumping to conclusions, asshole!" Beck wiped the blood with his thumb and swept his hand through his hair. "Shit! Why the hell would I want to go after that asshole anyway?"

"You do have motive," Jade muttered.

"Jade!" He looked at her incredulously and she flinched away. His eyes rolled and he looked away. "I have no reason to kill those girls, that's another thing. All of you are so fucking quick to point your fingers at me and I'm not even the one doing this shit."

"We don't know where you went off to," Andre confirmed, "So you could have done it." Beck's jaw dropped as Andre looked away to the others. "But he doesn't have reason to kill Tiffany and Shirley that I know of."

He smacked his hand into the air. "Thank you!" Jade folded her arms and swayed to the right, she was concerned that he was just trying to get their accusations off him. He had to have something to do with the murders!

Robbie whined and all eyes fell on him as Beck started to grumble. "He's been acting sketchy all night. He's gone off on his own more than a few times."

A crease shot along Beck's forehead and his head rolled towards the right. "I like being alone." He stood up slowly and dusted off his pants. "It's not like I get a chance to be on my own that frequently."

The statement was total crap as far as Jade was concerned. She knew the truth, he was constantly requiring her to be near him. If he didn't know where she was, he'd freak. If she didn't answer when he called her, he would get pissed off. Their relationship was practically based off fear and his possessive authority.

Of course, their temporary break up wasn't too good as he stalked her and would so often shove it in her face if he was with some other girl. Half the time, she could smell sex on him, something she knew he did just to get under her skin.

"Well you're not getting much chance after this," David replied. Beck's eyes shot over to the man just as Greg pulled away and walked towards the others. "From this point on, you're going to be with someone all times." Beck's eyes widened and he started to shout. Jade tried to hold back a smirk as the man protested.

"What?! Come on, what the hell did I do?" He beat his palm against his chest and looked David hard in the eyes. "I'm telling you I've done nothing wrong! Nothing!" The officer shook his head dismissively and Beck's arms fell down to his sides.

"There are some concerns I'm hearing in regards to you, and until we can figure out what's going on, nobody should be alone. That includes you." Beck gave Jade a suspicious look and she put her hands up, shaking her head. She felt herself being pulled away and turned to see Cat.

"Stay with me, okay Jade?" Cat looked towards Beck and narrowed her eyes. "I don't want Beck to hurt you." Tori walked over, muttering her agreement. Beck looked appalled that they were turning on him. Considering the options, they were unlikely to be willing to trust him enough to stand with him. "We girls need to stick together anyway." Beck crossed his arms and let his voice drop low with a menacing and irritated tone.

"She can speak for herself you know." She looked to him with a burning glare. "Come on Jade, stick with me. I can keep you safer than those girls will. Certainly safer than Cat can." Cat shouted at the offence and Tori's eyelids slanted for the moment. Jade turned away from him. Her throat rumbled out a low growl as agitation spread over her face.

"Something tells me I'd be safer with Cat and Tori than with you. You might throw me to the killer first chance you get-since I'm so disposable to you."

"That's uncalled for!"

"We really shouldn't be arguing right now," Holly stepped between them, scolding them both. "We need to try and figure out how to get out of here and we should all stick together. Simple as that. "

Beck scratched his head and sighed heavily, "It might not be that simple. I mean we're stuck in here and someone's killing us off. Pointing fingers isn't helping anything." Sinjin scoffed under his breath and closed his eyes.

"For once I agree with the guy. Trina would be stunned. I know I am." Sinjin opened his eyes and huffed as Beck studied him. "Our primary concern is getting out of here alive. Mr. Sikowitz and I have been trying to figure a way to turn on the computers or at least break down those damn office doors."

Sikowitz pulled his hand away, groaning softly, "Those doors are unbreakable. Swear to god they can't be torn down. We have tried everything we could think of, short of using a human battering ran."

"Not sure anyone's going to volunteer for that." Sinjin rubbed his chin and curled his lips into a smirk as his eyes fell onto Beck. "Though Beck's hard head could do the task."

Jade stifled her laugh, but Beck clearly looked pissed. He always did take things too seriously, but then, it wasn't easy to have a sense of humor in this time. "I don't know why you're all jumping onto me. At the same time, who's going to back you up? Certainly not the guy you keep attacking. I mean Jesus, cut me some slack once in a while would you? Find some evidence it's really me before you go accusing me of doing anything to anyone."

"Right now the evidence is in witness statements," David informed him, "But you are correct. We should not be pointing fingers right now."

Jade still wanted to tell David about Beck's cutting Trina's rope, but after what she just saw with Bill, she was scared to. She was afraid if Beck was doing this, then he would kill David, but she was also afraid of his attacking her for revealing that information, especially since Mr. Vega couldn't arrest him right now.

Beck crossed his arms, spread his feet apart and swayed to the right, "So then who has 'Beck duty'?" Sarcasm clung to his tone as his eyes narrowed further. "I'm guessing you don't want Tori near me, and Cat isn't letting my own girlfriend near me." He shot her a glare and she shrank back while Cat and Tori moved in front of her, both glaring at him. David turned his head from the girls and looked towards Andre and Robbie.

"Your best friends can stay with you for all I care."

"Sounds good to me," Jade murmured. Beck's threw his hands up and began moving away while cursing. She looked up to David with a subtle frown. "Why are we just letting him walk though? I mean-we could just lock him in the janitor's closet or something couldn't we?" David exhaled and bowed his head.

"Unfortunately because we don't have anything on him it would not be appropriate. And if it _isn't_ him, locking him up would mean if a killer's hunting anyone here they'll keep killing…that would also make him an easy target if he can't get away. I don't exactly want to put anyone to their deaths here, I'm trying to put an end to the killing. I am in a tough spot though because at the same time, if it is Beck, locking him would prevent further deaths." David looked over to Andre and pointed to where Beck was walking off. "You're to be with him, report anything."

"Yes sir," Andre and Robbie declared as they ran off to join Beck. Jade smirked to herself as she saw her boyfriend flinch at his friends' arrival. Beck threw his hand up and cursed at the two before turning back away and quickening his pace from them.

It was something to think about , is eagerness to be away. He was the only person in this group that wanted to be alone.

"Why is he so angry anyway?" Tori questioned. "He's starting to scare me."

"He doesn't like not controlling the situation," Jade shrugged. "I really don't want to talk about it. The guy is…I don't know." Tori reached over and hugged her close.

"I'm sorry Jade." The girl leaned back and looked into her eyes with a slight smile. "One day we'll all be happier though. If it is Beck, my daddy will stop him. We'll be at peace." Jade heaved a heavy sigh and glanced back to Beck, her heart was breaking as fear gripped her.

"I'm not sure if it's possible." Tori looked confused and Jade lifted her head, smiling widely as she put her arms around both her and Cat's shoulders. "But hey! I got my girls, right?"

"Yes, but if you're not happy…" Tori looked from her to the others. Nobody was happy. Everyone was talking idly with each other, nobody paying attention. "I wish I could make everyone happy, I wish we could all be together again. Ever since Trina died, nothing's been right, nothing's been complete…"

"Give it time Tori, the pain will heal." Jade rubbed her back and Cat quickly nodded. Tori looked at her with disbelief, then smiled confidently. "In fact, I want to suggest something."

"What?"

"I think it would be helpful if you sat down with my dad after this."

"Why?" The girl frowned and Jade pulled away.

"Because it would be helpful for you, I think."

"I'm not screwed up though! I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine…"

"I'm not saying you have any issues. Dad's worked with many people over the loss of people closest to them, and I think it would be good for you to talk about Trina with a counselor." Tori slouched and slowly nodded as she tucked her hair behind her hair.

"Oh. I guess that couldn't hurt then. Sure, I'd love to talk to him. Can he take away the pain I feel though? The dreams I have-the headaches…"

"He can certainly prescribe something."

Tori shook her head and moved her fingertips to her forehead. "I don't _want_ medication. I'm not a crazy freak."

"Yeah you're not," Cat turned a glare towards Beck's still departing form. He was further down the hall now, practically a dot. "The only crazy freak here is Beck. I think we should lock him up in the janitor's closet, but Mr. Vega's right, it's not going to help the situation." Cat folded her arms over and met Tori's gaze. "We just need to keep him away from Jade."

"Yeah, he's an abusive asshole."

Jade smiled at their concern. She was flattered, but at the same time, a little nervous. After all, if they got too protective, it might anger Beck even more. The last thing she wanted was them to get hurt because of her. She didn't want to see them dead because they pissed off her boyfriend.

"It's not safe to talk like that though," Jade whispered. The girls frowned at her and she clenched her eyes shut. Her chest ached as her voice started to lower. "Beck's dangerous. I don't want him to hurt you guys."

"Oh Jade…" Tori put her hand to Jade's upper arm and smiled at her. "He won't hurt me. We're here for you, okay?"

"Okay." Her heart lifted and she began to feel a pleasant sensation rising in her. She knew she'd be okay, and besides, why should she feel bad? She was a psychologist like her dad! Maybe not officially, but she wanted to be, so she wasn't going to let all this stuff get to her. "Maybe we should do some more investigation."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well I want to see what exactly is in the prop room." She took a deep breath as Tori and Cat glanced at each other with a shrug. "Certain things have been used to kill Bill-" Namely a sharp utensil that could be a knife. "-If the prop room has a bunch of things that can be used as weapons we may want to lock it up. "

"What about the cafeteria?" Cat suggested. "Lord knows anyone can get into the lunch ladies station." Jade rubbed her chin and slowly nodded. She despaired over the possibility of weapons being made out of just about anything, but the obvious answer to where weapons were coming from would be either the lunchroom or the prop station.

"Not to mention…if a weapon was taken out of the cafeteria-well who has been in there all this time?" She moved her hand away from her chin as Cat and Tori looked towards the direction Beck had gone. An eerie silence came over them, strangling her and twisting her stomach as if someone jammed a knife in her. "I don't want it to be him…I really don't…"

* * *

So quite a bit of drama going on there


	8. Deadly Weaponry

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 8 (Deadly Weaponry)

"Why in the hell does the theater department have all this?" Tori held up a pitchfork and reached up to tap the sharp prongs. Jade cringed, imagining those prongs shooting into someone. She never imagined the drama department having _real_ props.

"We need to ask Mr. Sikowitz about that." She grabbed a nearby shovel up and raised an eyebrow. "Principal Eikner comes back all paranoid, turns the school into a maximum security prison type lockdown and allows the drama department all these utensils? What the hell?"

Cat hummed while grabbing a garrote wire. Jade's jaw dropped and Tori stared at the weapon, stunned by its presence. "Actually remember the woman that replaced him temporarily? She's the one that allowed these in the drama department. It's the reason Eikner came back and replaced her. The controversy was all over the school, don't you remember?"

"Must have slipped my mind." She never really paid attention to the going-on in the school. Her time had been strictly devoted to Beck, to the point of her not noticing things that she probably should have. "All I was concerned with was that Principal Eikner came back and Principal Dubois was fired. I didn't really care, just focused on Beck."

Tori rolled her eyes, groaning softly, "We _really_ need to get you away from him." Cat nodded and Jade set the shovel back on the ground with a nervous sigh. "The guy hits you, who knows what else he's capable of!" Murder, Beck was definitely capable of murder. Jade didn't want to tell Tori that Beck was solely responsible for Trina's death. Something inside of her made her feel that she should, but she was scared of what would happen. With how Tori's mind was, she knew the girl would try to confront him about it, possibly getting into a physical fight, and Tori was not that strong. She wouldn't be able to defend herself if he fought back, then he'd kill her.

A horrific vision of Beck's hands clamping on Tori's neck chilled her core. She trembled as she looked over to Tori with a frightful gasp. She could practically see redness on Tori's neck. "Yeah just let me deal with him." She didn't think either Tori or Cat could stand up to him, and she certainly wasn't going to let them do so.

Her eyes drifted to a soft silk pillow with lace frills on the edges. She smiled and picked it up, showing it off to the girls. "Look! A normal prop!" The girls laughed and Tori grabbed it, touching the silk with great fascination.

"It's beautiful! Soft." Tori turned her head to the side and closed her eyes, breathing in slowly as Jade and Cat looked to her. "Trina would have loved this."

"You think the prop department would let you take it?" Cat moved over and put her hands on the sides of the pillow. "You could set it on Trina's grave." Tori frowned at the pillow, then dropped it back into the pile of props.

"No. The drama people wouldn't let it happen. Besides, Trina's got a nice soft pillow for-" Tori sniffled and tears started to form in her eyes. The girl stumbled to the right and sat down against the wall, letting out a loud sob. Jade and Cat instantly hurried to her sides, trying to comfort her. Tori's head fell to her knees and her body trembled as she wept. "Why is she gone?! Why, why, why! It's not fair! It's not right that she's gone! I can't-I can't…" Her voice trembled and each word fell out in between shaky breaths. "Am-Am I being punished? Did I stop paying attention? Why is this happening to me? I loved my sister-I promise I loved her…"

"It isn't your fault Tori." Jade rubbed her shoulder while Cat hugged her. "I promise you it isn't your fault. Trina loved you and I'm sure she knew you loved her."

"I just want us to be a happy family again. That's all I ever wanted. Now none of us can be happy!" Tori began blubbering and wiping the tears from her face. With every stroke, more tears came. "Momma's still seeing Gary, Daddy's hiding away in his work, and even Sinjin's no longer talking to anyone-even his own sister. I want us to be happy again. I want us to be together! A family is forever, right?" Tori grabbed Jade's shirt and moved her glossy eyes towards her. "Then why do they get taken away?! Why does this happen! I don't understand!"

Jade's heart sank and her eyes drifted away for a brief moment. She couldn't stand to see her friend like this, it caused her a great deal of pain. Even Cat was upset, with tears of her own rolling silently down her cheeks. "I wish more than anything that I could answer that. I don't even know why people hurt each other…"

"Because people can be cruel," Cat spoke softly and leaned back against the wall. "I don't know if it's a problem with mentality or what, but people can be arrogant as hell." She turned her head sideways towards the others, her chest expanded and her fingers curled inward. "I remember something Sam was telling me about. This guy back in Seattle she dated, Freddie. He actually dated her best friend, dated her, then still wanted to hook up with the best friend afterwards. Then when Carly moved away to Italy, Freddie was going right back to asking Sam out like she was some second choice!"

Tori's eyes widened and a sour expression came over Jade's face as she thought about Beck trying to hit on Tori during one of their temporary breaks. "No woman deserves to be second in a guy's life. I'm sorry Sam had to deal with that."

"Yes well, it's just something to say that people are messed up in the head. I don't think people are made that way though, there's always something that creates it. Like Freddie was a bit of a stalker before, and no one ever told him it was wrong." Tori nodded in understanding while Jade folded her arms, still feeling a deep anger brewing in her.

"Beck always thought it was okay to hit women." Beck grew up seeing his father dominating his mother all his life, controlling her and forcing her to do everything. If he wasn't satisfied with something she did or said, he smacked her around. Beck's grandfather was the same way, so it was the only life he knew. "He thought it was appropriate to hit and control someone in a relationship. He also thinks he's entitled to have sex because he's so fucking 'perfect'." She swept her hand in the air with a loud scoff. "And Trina called him out on it! She said he was narcissistic-which he is-and she called him vain and ignorant." Tori's eyes widened and Cat shook her head.

"What a pathetic monster." It was strange, Trina had always been one to see right through them all. Not just Beck, but Robbie and Andre; she saw them for who they were and what they were pretending to be, and she died for it. "Life isn't fair, it pits us with people who are destructive to themselves and everyone around them."

"I guess it just makes everything a process, I don't know." She rubbed her shoulder and cracked her head to the side. Her thoughts were spinning with her emotions. Every second that passed she couldn't help but to think Beck was out there further destroying her image to everyone or scheming to hurt those she cared about. He played the victim far too often, but this time, she just knew he was to blame. He had to be. Who else would be hurting all these innocent people? For all she knew, he could have hit on Tiffany and Shirley only to be turned down.

Cat let her head fall back onto the wall, her cheeks fell and her body trembled. "I just want to make it out of here alive. I want to see Sam and my brothers again, I want to see Nona again. I'm scared, terrified."

"I think we all are."

Tori looked straight ahead with a slight whimper, "How did Bill die? Do you know? You didn't tell us how you found him." Jade groaned and shook her head.

"It was unpleasant." She didn't want to talk about it, much less think about it. "For the most part he'd been stabbed. But…the science tables had freshly used flasks sitting out." Tori's eyebrows shot up and Cat moved a hand to her chest. "Someone was mixing up chemicals, I think. They'd been used on him, some sort of corrosive chemical had been spilled on the desk as well as Bill."

"You think the killer knows science?" Cat asked. "I can't think of anyone here that's good at scientific stuff. Not even Beck, all he's good at is acting. Then there's Sinjin but he's not a scientist."

"No he's more into history and electronics," Tori stated, "He sucks at science." Tori laughed under her breath and closed her eyes. "He even gets chemistry pick up lines wrong." Jade raised an eyebrow as Tori shook her head. "When he was dating Trina, they were talking about pick up lines once and making fun of them. He tried to use one on her that had to do with chemistry and he ended up mangling it."

"How's the line go?"

"I think the proper line is like: 'I may not be good at math or science, but I'd love to study the chemistry between me and you'." Jade snickered while Cat ripped out a laugh. How could someone possibly mangle a pick up line? "They always thought pickup lines were lame. I agree though, they suck." Tori chuckled again and leaned her head back against the wall as her arms hugged her legs. "Jade? You remember those two guys at the sushi bar?"

"What?" She had to think in order to recall the incident, but she did remember having sang a rejection song to them. Her lips curved upwards and she nodded. "Yeah I remember. It was hilarious seeing them try so hard to get what they weren't going to get."

"Some people can be so stupid, don't you think?"

"Of course."

Jade pushed herself to her feet and dusted off her pants as her eyes drifted to the props on the ground. "How are we going to close off this area?" The girls studied the props and shook their heads.

"Both Sikowitz and Sinjin lost their keys," Cat remarked sadly, "The master key is gone, so there's no way to lock it up. Then there's the issue with the cafeteria's lunchroom."

"No way to close the kitchen down. Anyone can just walk in without problem. Just like anyone can come in here, and I think just about everyone knows what's here."

"The sports room too," Cat stood up and motioned for them to walk with her. "You know, right beside the gym and pool room is where all the athletes keep their sports equipment." The girls followed and Jade tried to think of all the sports that Hollywood Arts had.

They had teams that went against other high schools, such as the usual Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Martial Arts, and Baseball. They also had other things that were more skill than anything, such as Golf and Bowling. Bowling balls, pins, golf clubs, baseball bats, football helmets, any of these things could be used as deadly weapons. All of which was in the sports room. What was worse was there was a lot of other sports and equipment out there.

"None of these are locked up?" Tori gasped. "We need to fix that!"

"Maybe Mr. Vega knows a way to seal it all off." Cat tapped her chin thoughtfully as they moved into the hallway. "There are so many things about this school that are just…creepy."

Jade chuckled at the moonlit floor and studied the barred windows. "I never thought about it but yeah, it really is. Not a place I would have wanted to be stuck overnight at." Assuming they ever got out of here, one thing was certain, she was _not_ doing anymore plays or auditions. Hell, she might even have to ask her dad to transfer her to another school altogether.

She didn't have the stomach for Hollywood Arts anymore, to be perfectly honest. After seeing Bill's body and seeing the two girls die on that stage, she didn't think mentally speaking she'd be able to handle attending the school without fighting these flashes of memory.

"I swear to god I hope Principal Eikner rethinks the whole system lockdown thing." Her eyes drifted to the camera on the ceiling and her heart began to grow frigid. "What's the point of those cameras now?"

"There's always a chance Principal Eikner might be watching from home," Tori admitted. "I mean with as paranoid as he is, it wouldn't surprise me if he's got it set up that way." Then there was hope. If Principal Eikner logged on to his system, maybe he would see what was happening and call the police. What were the chances, though? Did he even check footage from home? Why would a man so confident in such a complex security system ever think that someone would be able to break in?

"Then for our sake, let's hope he's paranoid enough to think he needs a reason to check the cameras tonight…"

* * *

I had to explain why Eikner was back when I remembered Dubois replaced him in one episode that I always thought was useless since she never showed up again. So tell me what you're thinking


	9. Hollywood Arts is Hell

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: I won't be home tonight so I'm updating early this evening. By the way there's a little backstory shown here, some of you may recognize.

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Chapter 9 (Hollywood Arts Hell)

Jade and Cat stood on the sides of a bathroom door, waiting for Tori to go to the restroom. Cat was on the side closest to a corner that intersected with a hallway. "Don't know why Tori wanted to use this restroom, she hates it." Cat leaned her head against the wall and Jade shrugged her shoulders. "This is the one that boys always sneak into isn't it?"

"Usually." Robbie would often sneak into the restroom whenever Cat was in, resulting in her being extremely freaked out for the rest of the day. He stopped doing it about a year ago, but it didn't stop others from doing the same. The principal had been considering the possibility of excavating this bathroom, but the district wouldn't approve of it. "She's been in there a while now."

"She's grieving." True they could hear the sobs coming from inside. Tori asked that they leave her alone until she was done, so they were going to respect it, but the weeping was heartbreaking. "It just sounds so continuous. I mean I understand why, I just…wish she'd take a break to breathe. It's hard to listen to."

"The best thing we can do is just be here for her." Jade exhaled softly, tapping her finger on her forearm. Her eyebrow rose at the weeping inside. "She's take Trina's death harder than anyone. I worry about her."

"So do I." Cat looked back at the door with a frown and shook her head. "Where do you think the others are? Still in the cafeteria?" It was a popular place to just rest while being able to see everyone, but she doubted they were anywhere near that area. Beck didn't even storm off in that direction with Andre and Robbie. Holly was probably off with David, and then Sikowitz would still be mulling over the locked office with Sinjin. Greg's whereabouts were probably unknown.

"As long as everyone's staying together, that's the important part. If they start going off on their own, then there runs a risk of running into that madman that's roaming around." She certainly didn't think any one of them were the killer, with the obvious exception of Beck. "Either way, when Tori's done here, we need to talk to Officer Vega about the rooms with the weapons in them…and about Beck…"

"What about him?"

Jade bowed her head and exhaled under her breath. "That Beck killed Trina and forced me to keep quiet about it." Cat's eyes widened and Jade clenched her fists up. "I've been trying to tell him and haven't had the chance yet. I'm also scared that he'll kill Beck on the spot…"

Cat threw her hair back with a scoff and narrowed her eyes. "It sure would solve a lot of problems if he did." Jade lifted her shoulders and looked off to the side. She felt her friend reach over, touching her shoulder. Cat's reassuring gaze warmed her somewhat. "I'm sorry. I know he's still your boyfriend and all. You know there are better men out there."

"Maybe. I don't know anything other than life with Beck, though. He was…my first boyfriend. I'm not exactly that liked either, everyone around this school knows me as some bitch to hate." Cat rolled her eyes and withdrew her hand.

"You are _not_ that person. You only act that way because of Beck." She rubbed her arm and let her eyes fall to the floor.

"I guess." She always spat out at anyone for fear of being taken advantage of, controlled, or stepped on. She didn't act that way before Beck. Her arms lowered to her sides as a smile grew on her face while a pleasant memory drifted into her mind. "Hollywood Arts really changed a lot for us all…"

"Honest?" Cat cleared her throat away and closed her eyes. "This school is filled with egotistical idiots who put down anyone they don't think has talent. Where do you think Andre, Robbie and Beck get their hatefulness from? They think talent equals only singing, dancing, or acting-anyone that can't sing, dance or act as well as they can is shit. This school is shit. And as for tonight, it's a hellhole. You, me, and Tori…we know a previous school, and I would give anything to go back to the school I went to before this."

"Yeah…" They never went to Tori's old school, but the two of them had gone the same school with each other. Cat wound up going to Hollywood Arts a year before she had, which was why she made friends with Beck, Andre and Robbie first. "You remember Zander?" Cat raised an eyebrow at he and curled her lip up into a smirk.

"How could I forget?" Zander Robbins, they knew him at the school they went to before Hollywood Arts. He was a close friend of Jade's, and someone that Jade was incredibly attracted to. He was still a friend of hers, but they were with other people.

Or, she was anyway. When she transferred to Hollywood Arts, she heard he'd transferred to Brewster High. They had been visiting one another until Beck himself put an end to that, forcing them apart. They still corresponded through email, but it was hard since Beck didn't want her having any male friends that he couldn't control and keep at bay.

Zander started dating a girl at Brewster, Stevie. She was broken about it, but at the same time she was happy for him. The last letter she received from him said Stevie was going off to a college across the country, so they weren't together anymore. He wanted to see her again, and she really wanted to see him.

She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, "God he could serenade a flower into growing if he wanted." Cat laughed and Jade's eyes shot open as a blush fell across her face. "But…I'm with Beck now. I have been with him. Zander was with that Stevie girl until she moved, but…"

"He only lives like fifteen minutes away right? You two haven't seen each other since you came to Hollywood Arts! You need to see him. You were happier with him."

"I can't see him. Not when I'm with Beck."

"Oh Jesus, Jade…" Jade dropped her gaze and lifted her shoulders.

"He wouldn't want me anyway. Not if he knew how screwed up I am. Beck destroyed me." Her voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes. Cat shook her head and reached over, taking her hand and squeezing it gently.

"Jade, you know that's not true. You're a great person, and anyone-especially Zander-would love to be with you. Beck only says the things he says and does what he does to keep you controlled. He doesn't want you to be around guys because he's an insecure bastard who knows that the minute you see someone better you'd leave him."

"I don't know…" The whole reason she dated Beck in the first place was because when Beck was courting her he acted like Zander. It was only after she started dating did she realize he was nowhere as nice or kind to her as Zander was, but she was already locked in and too afraid to be alone. She moved her hand to her shoulder, grasping it firmly. "The reason I brought him up again…I miss him."

"I know you do."

"I wanted him to be here. I actually sent him an email-short notice sure-asking him to come see the audition." She closed her eyes and slipped her hand down her arm as her heart started to break. "Beck caught it-"

"Beck checks your emails?"

"Recently he's been monitoring-yes." Beck was as Cat said, insecure and thinking she was talking to other men. "He sent Zander a _very_ threatening and angry letter, telling him that if he showed up it would be the last thing he ever did." She felt a tear run down her cheek as Cat threw up her hands in anger. "Zander obviously isn't here, so…It might be over. There's no way Beck will let me talk to him again."

"Oh Jade." Cat moved over, hugging her close. She moved her arms upwards and curved her hands over the back of Cat's shoulders. Her tears fell furiously and her voice trembled.

"W-Why did I let myself be put in this situation?!"

"It isn't your fault, it's Beck. You're not responsible for Beck."

"I hate him…I hate that I can't be happy!"

"I know." The girls slid down to their knees. Jade let her friend hold her and comfort her with gentle pats to the back. Her mind drifted back to those happier days before Hollywood Arts screwed them all over. She hated this school, she hated that Beck and this school ruined her life! But more than anything, she hated that she couldn't be with the one person that she really cared for, and the fear that he wouldn't want anything to do with her now. Just another thing that Beck trashed for her…

_Fourteen year old Jade and Cat swayed to the crooning voice of Zander Robbins serenading them with his guitar. They sat in the school's empty cafeteria with Zander standing up on the table's bench, with his right foot perched on the surface of the table._

_ Jade cupped her face in her hands and leaned forward, sighing into his dreamy chocolate eyes. He tucked a finger under her chin as he sang of her beauty. His brown curls fell before his soft face. His black leather jacket slipped off her shoulders as she shivered at his touch._

_ Beside her, Cat giggled. Zander's song ended and his hand pulled away. Jade leaned forward, still wanting to feel his touch. "How was it?" Zander's deep voice continued to soothe her like his music. "Think people will like it, or maybe the person it's for?"_

_ "I loved it."_

_ "Then I've done what I wanted." He chuckled as her heart began to pound furiously in her chest. He stepped off the table and set his guitar down on the surface. When he sat beside her, Jade leaned up against his shoulder, earning a laugh from Cat._

_ "You two are so adorable!" Cat threw her hands down, pointing to them with open palms. "Why aren't you two together?" Jade blushed furiously as Zander raised an eyebrow and shrugged._

_ "I keep asking her out, she keeps saying no."_

_ "Seriously? Why!"_

_ Jade stretched her arms out on the table and let her head fall onto them, "I uh, it's complicated." It really wasn't, she was just too shy around him. Not to mention her dad didn't seem like he wanted her dating anyone. "Dad says no dating until I'm sixteen."_

_ "So all I have to do is wait for you to turn sixteen?" Zander smirked confidently and put his arm around her shoulders. She lifted her head, the redness on her face deepened as her eyes mixed with his. "I can do that. Hopefully you won't fall for anyone else before then, I might have a difficult time winning you back." _

_ She laughed nervously and rose up from the table. Her lip tucked into a smirk and she twisted around to face him. "Who says you have my heart in the first place?" Cat rolled her eyes and Zander kept his confident gaze, melting her away. _

_ "I'm pretty sure of it." _

_ "Don't be so cocky."_

_ "I wouldn't be if I wasn't so sure." She hesitated to think of a comeback. "Give me a chance, I'll treat you the way a woman ought to be treated. You know, if you ever need me, you know where to find me."_

_ "Sing again?" She looked up to him with a hopeful gaze. He chuckled and grabbed his guitar. Jade saw Cat flash a smirk her way and she worked to avoid eye contact with her friend. _

_ "Sure thing." _

Jade opened her eyes and whimpered softly. How the hell could she have messed that up? Now she was stuck in some school that she was beginning to despise, dating some asshole that didn't even give a shit about her, and to top it off, she might very well die in this place unless she took action. She hoped to see Zander tonight, but thanks to Beck, that chance was gone for good. How could she have been so stupid? She wiped away her tears and looked around, remembering where she was. "Cat?"

"Yeah Jade?"

"I hate this place. So much."

"I know you do."

"And Zander…he loved me didn't he…" Cat frowned at her and she fell back against the wall, cursing under her breath. "And I ruined that by dating Beck. Now I'll never have another guy, and I don't think anyone could ever want me. Why would they?" She scoffed under her breath and bowed her head. "Beck's destroyed everything in my life. Why shouldn't he destroy what I had-or would have had with Zander if I wasn't so stupid. Not that it matters."

Tori's voice came over her, causing her to jump. "Who's Zander?" They looked up to see Tori standing in the bathroom doorway. Tori's hand was on the frame, her eyes were misty. She took a deep breath and looked between the two girls. "What did Beck do to the guy?"

"I guess I'll have to explain him then…" She and Cat stood up, ready to talk. She didn't want to keep it all inside anymore.

It didn't take much to explain who the man was, and Tori was smiling through the entire description. Of course, before she could give her thoughts, Holly came racing around the corner. The woman had a look of panic on her face and was breathing heavily. "Girls! Everyone needs to get to the pool!" The others looked to Holly and Tori's eyebrows meshed together. "The hot tub…"

"What about it?" Cat inquired. The hot tub next to the pool was rarely used except for instances of recreation when the swimmers were done with practice and still had time free. There was a button nearby that was used to cover the hot tub with a sliding platform.

"Greg's been found. Someone trapped him in the hot tub and turned the temperature high. He's been boiled alive." Jade's eyes widened and Tori screamed out in shock.

The girls ran with Holly, meeting up with everyone else at the gym's pool and hot tub. Jade's eyes froze on Greg's body, which had been pulled from the tub. He was drenched and covered in boils. Standing nearby was Beck, looking highly disturbed and terrified. It was as though he knew people would suspect him for this, given _everyone_ saw his confrontation with Greg earlier.

Maybe it was better that Zander hadn't come. She had no idea how she'd react to his being here and then the threat of his death. Especially if Beck was the one responsible, she couldn't imagine how she'd feel if he died because of Beck.

She met his gaze and narrowed her eyes. "Jade…" He swept his hand through his hair and gazed down at Greg's body. "I was with Andre. Robbie. Shit…"

* * *

So you know, Jade won't be alone when all is said and done, and for the alleged 'extra' person (which really didn't exist for a while, it was a mistake I made in the summary by miscounting) that person will be outside. Zander is going to be outside the school, but unable to enter. Looks like Gregory is dead. You know, for a laugh you could definitely see my very first original tale that this is supposedly rewriting on certain points, 2000 words, 13 chapters, and 11 pages MUHAHAHA. I was in 7th grade and it was my first ever work, it's total crap XD. Let me know what you think of the chapter!


	10. Fall from Grace

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: By the way, I've updated the poll choices for you on my profile, so as of this chapter I want to see where your suspicions lie.

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Chapter 10 (Fall From Grace)

"Beck, do you know what they're saying out there?" Robbie sat with Beck at the cafeteria table, staring at his friend's hunched form. Beck's hands were vigorously running through his hair. Andre sat nearby, his arms folded over on the table and his head shaking. "They really think you're responsible now."

"I know that," Beck growled. Robbie and Andre shifted to the side. Robbie tapped his fingers anxiously on the table and clenched his eyes shut. Even he was beginning to doubt Beck. When Greg died, Beck hadn't actually been in their line of vision. He'd been in the martial arts studio, beating on a punching bag. They weren't in with him, but watching outside to make sure the killer didn't come up. "You guys believe my innocence right?"

"Well we didn't really hear you on that mannequin. I mean hell, even Trina made noise when beating up on the mannequin." Beck's expression fell and Robbie flinched. "You _did_ end up killing her you know. Tiffany's and Shirley's deaths were really similar." Beck slapped the table and the two friends jerked in place.

"I didn't kill the two bitches!" His voice echoed throughout the cafeteria. He pointed an angry finger at Robbie and narrowed his eyes. "And you keep your mouth shut like I told you! I don't need that bitch's father coming down on me. She got what she deserved."

"You killed an innocent woman," Andre muttered, "Our friend's sister." He pushed his hands through his hair and glanced sadly at the table. "That pretty much kills whatever chance I had with Tori. I was hoping to ask her out, but now that won't happen."

"Why the fuck would you blame me for that?"

"Guilt by association. Why else?" Andre leaned against the palm of his hand and shrugged as Beck narrowed his eyes at the man. "Tori can't stand any of us. She hasn't even talked to us since her sister's death, I know she blames us. She doesn't know it was you, but yeah…I think that girl's losing it. I really do." Robbie had to agree, he wouldn't put it past Tori losing her mind.

"That girl depended on her sister. Trina was her livelihood, her everything." Beck scoffed at the men.

"Please! Tori barely gave her the time of day."

"In _our_ presence, Beck. Everyone knows the Vega sisters were inseparable…I even remember hearing Tori crying over Trina possibly going away for college! That girl couldn't stand to be away from Trina."

"That's true," Andre leaned back and shuffled his hands together. "Tori didn't want to look dependent in front of us, she wanted approval so she acted the way she did like she was pushing Trina away."

"Hey guys!" Robbie flinched at Tori's voice and looked over to see the girl walking up to them, waving. "Have you seen momma? I'm trying to find her." He didn't know where Holly was, though he did see her standing with David at the stairs near the front door.

"I think Mrs. Vega's towards the front stairs."

"Oh? Thank you."

"Where are Jade and Cat?"

"Jade's talking to Mr. Sikowitz and Sinjin at the office. Cat's in the bathroom. You know the one with the showers?" Wasn't that the same bathroom that people broke into often?

"The one Principal Eikner wants removed?"

"Yeah. She went for a swim earlier so she's taking a shower, getting the chlorine off her."

"Cool." It would be better to just remove the ventilation shaft. The bathroom had an air vent that connected with the ground, and it came out into the hallway on the other side, also at ground level. This made it easy to just crawl through without anyone noticing. "Anyway, hope you find your mom."

"Thanks. What are you guys talking about, by the way? I thought I heard something about Trina?"

"No, nothing there." He smiled sadly and watched a look of disappointment grow on Tori's face. "We're just chatting about random things."

"Oh. Okay." Robbie watched Tori slink away and turned his head sadly. His heart went out to her of course, it was terrible she had to lose her sister the way she did. He was angry at Beck, but then, so was Andre. What right did Beck have for murder?

"God she's naïve as all fuck," Beck snorted. Robbie and Andre groaned as Beck shrugged his shoulders. It did bring an interesting thought to Robbie's mind; what if this killer was killing because of Trina? If not Beck, then it could be Sinjin, Mr. Vega, or even Holly.

"What if the killer's doing this for revenge?" Beck raised an eyebrow and Andre shifted his eyes towards Robbie. "What if they're trying to weed out the person responsible for Trina's death? If anything, this could end as soon as Beck confesses to the murder!"

Beck reached over, grabbing Robbie's shirt and pulling him back with a violent growl, "Okay you asshole, that's not happening! That does not leave us, got that? I'm not going to jail because you decided to rat me out. Fuck off." He pushed Robbie back. Robbie felt the chair falling backwards and flailed his arms, screaming as he crashed to the ground.

"Dude!" Andre screamed out and moved over to help Robbie up. Robbie let out a subtle groan and rubbed a sore spot on his hand where he hit the table leg. "Dude we're covering for you, don't be a dick!" Beck rolled his eyes.

Robbie looked to the cafeteria windows and saw someone walking around outside. He raised his eyebrows and started to point. "Guys?"

"I'll act how I want," Beck warned Andre.

"Guys. There's someone outside." The man was looking up and down on the window, knocking on the windows as if looking for something.

"It's not right," Andre muttered. Robbie studied this man further. He had a straight face, a leather jacket and blue denim jeans. His hair was short and somewhat curly looking. "We're trying our best to cover your ass, so the least you can do is respect us."

"Guys!" Robbie kicked out, striking Andre in the leg. Andre yelped and Beck snapped his glare at Robbie, both screaming at him. "There's somebody outside. Do you think they'd be able to see us?" They looked toward the window and Beck's nostrils flared out as a wild anger shot past him.

"Fucking Zander," Beck whispered, "I told that fucker not to show his face at the school." Robbie raised an eyebrow and pulled himself to his feet as Andre asked who Zander was. Beck leaned his elbows against the table and gazed off nonchalantly. "This guy at Jade's last school that she used to have feelings for. She's been talking back and forth with him and asked him to come see her audition. Damn bitch was going to cheat on _me!"_

"As if you don't do it to her," Andre scowled. Beck's eyes narrowed and he turned around, huffing.

"Well she didn't imply anything happening between the two of them, so maybe not. Either way I don't think she should be seeing anyone else. I guess Zander can't get in the school, so I'm not worried." Sure, no man was going to muscle in on his woman.

Robbie rolled his eyes in aggravation and pushed himself from the table. "Yeah okay." Beck and Andre looked up curiously at him. He wanted nothing to do with their presence. "I'm going for a walk. See you."

"You can't go off by yourself," Andre warned. He ignored his friend's concerned remark and started off, brushing his hand through the air. "Robbie!"

"I don't care, I'm done with you people."

"Let him go," he heard Beck's retort and snarled. "I'm done with the guy." Robbie extended his arm and flipped his middle finger up before leaving the cafeteria.

_"Such an asshole."_ Robbie muttered angrily and turned the corner. The moment he did, he felt a peculiar feeling strike him. Possibly jitters from being alone for the first time, so to him it was a far better feeling than being stuck around a murderer like Beck. _"Anywhere's better than where he is."_

He stopped at the end of the hallway and looked over his shoulder to see Beck leaving the cafeteria with Andre. Anger swirled in him and he continued off on his own.

Several minutes passed as he scanned the halls of the school. There were no signs of the murderer anywhere, but unease was starting to settle in him. He did eventually pass where the bathroom Cat was in, then he saw something strange. A figure in a cloaked cape was standing by the door. He ducked behind the wall and put his hand over his mouth to avoid screaming as his heart started to thrash about.

He listened as the bathroom doorknob rattled and the killer let out a small grunt. Was Cat still inside? He swallowed hard and looked toward the air vent, whimpering under his breath. He'd sworn himself not to crawl through the vent system anymore, but if Cat was still in there, he had to do something!

Or, if it was Beck, could he be baiting him? Was this a chance to try and kill him? It didn't matter, more important things were at stake here!

He crouched down and began crawling through the dusty vent. The dirt choked him and his breathing began to grow heavy. Toward the end, he could see Cat drying off with a towel. He was happy to see the showers were working.

Seeing Cat, however, he felt guilty. She had pink underwear on and was slowly running the towel over her milky white skin. Her hair clung to the water on her back, and small streams glinted off the flashlight sitting on the counter.

When she pulled her clothes on, Robbie found the strength to push himself out and into the bathroom. When Cat saw him, she fell against the counter and screamed. "Get out of here, Robbie!"

"No wait I'm not trying anything. Someone's standing outside the bathroom!" Cat ran after him and began striking him, cursing him out. With ever hit, he trembled and begged her to stop.

"Quit sneaking into the bathroom!"

"I'm not! I'm trying to help you." He had to find a way to get her to be rational here, rather than to beat the shit out of him. Then he remembered Cat and Jade went to the same school, so she might know Zander. If so, maybe she'd listen. "Cat! We saw that guy, Zander, outside."

As predicted, she stopped and staggered backwards, raising her eyebrows up. "W-What? Zander?"

"Yeah, he's walking around outside, probably trying to get in. Maybe he knows Jade hasn't gotten home yet or something, whatever the case is, he's out there." Cat's eyes widened and her hand moved up over her mouth.

"How would you even know about him?"

"Beck. Beck recognized him."

"No…" Just then, the bathroom door swung open. The two shrieked as the cloaked figure began to advance. Cat scrambled for the flashlight, but her hand swept it off and onto the ground. Robbie guarded her and searched the figure for a face, but it was far too dark for him to see. "Robbie!" Cat put her hands to his shoulders and shrank behind him. "W-Who is it?"

"I don't know…" He swallowed hard as the figure stopped in front of him. He could hear the raspy, shallow breathing coming from the killer. A whimper left his lips as Cat began to stumble backwards, tripping back onto the floor. "Could be Beck, might be someone else…" He saw the glint of a knife. Fear shot down him as he looked back to Cat. "Run!"

"I-I can't. I don't-I'm scared!"

Just then the person grabbed him and shoved him against the counter. He was too surprised to fight back. Pain seared through his waist as the counter jammed into him. He tried to push back, but before he could do so, he felt a sharp slicing sensation shooting down his back. Blood splashed out and he screamed in anguish.

"N-No! You can't!" He was then flipped onto his back. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Cat crawling through the vent, screaming for help. The killer didn't seem to care, implying that Cat was not the intended target. He'd been baited out, just as he thought! His eyes fixated on the knife and he began whimpering as it came back down on him. "God please! Don't do this!"

The killer leaned over him, whispering softly into his ear. "You brought this on yourself." His eyes widened and a name fell from his lips just as the knife's sting slicked across his throat. His body went numb as blood splashed out onto the floor.

* * *

The killer speaks, Zander's outside, Beck's pissed, and Robbie has been killed. Tell me your thoughts on the chapter, and don't forget to check out the updated poll!


	11. Bystander

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 11 (Bystander)

Jade, Cat and Mr. Vega ran towards the bathroom, all entering to see the ghastly sight. Robbie had been flayed and his skin now hung above the bathroom mirror. Cat looked away with a startling cry while Jade felt a rush of emotion surging through her. She couldn't believe anyone could be so crazed, but more so she was growing in her suspicion of Beck. Despite her thinking he wouldn't kill his friend, she had no thoughts as to anyone else.

"Where is he?" She growled out, "Where is Beck!" David looked at her with concern while Cat stumbled out of the bathroom, whimpering under her breath. She knew her anger may be frightening Cat, but it couldn't be helped. "I wasn't to see him explain this!"

Robbie's body was sitting in a blood filled sink, with his blood flowing over the counter like a waterfall. His eyeballs were poking outward and his lips were in an eternal scream. The nightmare was only further increased by the lack of skin.

"Let's get out of here," David pushed the two girls out of the room. The blood looked fresh, so the killer couldn't have gotten too far. She wanted to seek the person out, but at the same time she was afraid to. She needed to be there for Cat at the same time, considering Cat witnessed the murder. Cat hugged herself and sniffled as David turned to her. "While I don't want to sound insensitive I have to ask this, did you get any description?"

Jade frowned at her friend, she didn't want to burden Cat with too many questions either, but they needed all they could get in finding out who the culprit was. "No, I wasn't able to see them. I don't know what they want either. It was too dark to see…" Cat breathed in deep and looked up just as the others raced towards them. Holly had been instructed to find them. Of course, Beck was missing, which further angered her. Andre was already ready for an excuse, which by this time, Jade was apt to not believe.

"Beck's off bothering with the school windows. What happened to Robbie?" Andre tried to go towards the restroom, but David put his hand to the man's chest, stopping him. Andre's voice grew panicked as he looked to the man. "Sir?"

"I'm sorry Andre. He's gone." Andre's eyes flew open and he tried to run for the bathroom, but David succeeded in holding him back.

"No! Let me go please! I told him not to go off on his own! I told him!"

"Robbie's been killed?!" Tori threw her hands to her face and screamed in the same level of shock as Andre. "No! I-I can't-that's not right. It can't be…"

"Let me in, I need to see my friend!"

"I cannot let you go in there," David ordered, "You don't need to see him the way he is now." Andre stopped struggling and his legs buckled in as tears ran down his face. Jade never saw him this upset before, but she understood the loss of a best friend. Even if he made fun of Robbie, they still had always been close. "I'm sorry Andre."

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't even bring him back! I'll never understand it, why someone would kill someone we care about."

"I've wondered that myself," Tori added weakly, "Why people kill. What need is there." She bowed her head as the others faced her, each looking at her with great sorrow and remorse. "What right does someone have to kill people we love and care about? Why are people so depraved that they would do something so…cruel. Nothing happens to the bad people. People like Beck, or the person who killed my sister-there's no justice. No justice for the victim or the loved ones! It isn't fair." Jade agreed as the air grew somber and bleak. Andre looked to be holding something back. What was it? She walked towards him, trying to erase the image of Robbie's body.

"Why was Robbie off by himself, Andre?" The man shrugged his shoulders and started to step back. "Andre? Moment of truth here, Robbie knew not to leave. What was going on?"

"He and Beck got into a fight." Andre looked away, well aware what implications this would bring. "Robbie chewed him out and Beck didn't like it. He left the area and that's the last we saw of him." Andre rubbed the back of his neck and started to groan. "Beck and I left the cafeteria after that, and then he told me to let him be for a while." Andre shook his head as the others began to murmur. "But he didn't do this! I swear!"

"We don't know anything yet," David responded. Andre slouched and David turned to Sikowitz. "Have you and Sinjin figured anything out yet?"

"No, mostly I've been counseling the guy," Sikowitz admitted. Everyone could see the depression in Sinjin, so much so they were waiting for him to crack. "You know, we've even tried breaking down the windows, but they're reinforced." He looked to Andre and curled his finger at his chin. "You said Beck was tending to the windows? They're reinforced and barred, so what could he possibly be doing?"

"There was someone wandering around out there." Jade froze as the others gasped. She could feel her heartbeat rising and curiosity began to get the better of her. Who could be out there? Why would Beck care? "Do you guys really think Beck did this?"

David crossed his arms and flattened his gaze as stress creased his forehead, "Nothing's set in stone yet. Circumstantial or not, things aren't setting up well for him. I'm tempted to lock him up in a room or something, keep him on guard until the system unlocks. It may be the only way to see if he's really responsible for all this."

Tori breathed out a heavy sigh and shrugged, "Do what you think is best Daddy. Beck's a menace whether he's doing the kills or not." That was the truth, Jade didn't like having him roaming about.

"All right, I'll see what I can do if we can catch him. Until then, we need to find a way to notify whoever is outside." Unable to focus on the group anymore, distracted by the thought of Beck trailing the person outside, she tore herself from the group. There was a stirring in her heart, something that told her to put more mind to this. It wasn't until Cat pulled her off to the side that she got her answer.

"Jade…I know who's out there." Cat looked over her shoulders to the group, they were all chatting amongst themselves now and were completely oblivious to the two girls. Cat wiped her eyes and drew a shaky breath. "Rob-" Her voice cracked and Jade instantly frowned as the girl worked to get out whatever she had to say. "Robbie told me before he was-was killed-they saw _Zander_."

The air grew warm and cold in an instant and shock zapped through her like a sudden charge of electricity. Her eyes widened and her heart slammed out of her chest at the thought of Zander actually trying to get into the school. "He's here? R-Really? I thought…" Beck would have scared him off for sure! What in the hell was he doing here? Tears welled up in her eyes as she moved her hand over her heart. "He's outside? Do you think he's still out there?"

"I don't know. I mean there's not much chance we can get to him though." This could be her last night on earth. She would do anything to get to him.

As her mind spun trying to think of something, she recalled a stairway she used to sneak onto the roof of the school in the past. The school already had a gated fence around the roof, once again thanks to Principal Eikner, but it should be enough for her to contact Zander.

She put her hands to Cat's shoulders and gazed in desperation into her friend's eyes. "The roof!" She took Cat's wrist and immediately bolted for the back of the school where there should be a door to the stairs leading up to the roof. Cat didn't question it, and nobody really noticed their departure.

It took a couple minutes to get to the top and to open the door. Once outside, Jade gasped for air and began panting as she studied the tall black iron beams rising high into the sky. Her heart pounded as she hurried her gaze around the border of the building. "Cat, search the right, I'm going for the left. If it's really Zander, I need to get him before he leaves!"

"Okay." They separated and Jade ran along the bars, looking down to the ground as she frantically called out to him at the top of her lungs. Sweat dropped from her brow and her hair flew out behind her as she ran with great pace. She pleaded that he wasn't leaving, or gone.

Finally she heard Cat screaming out, alerting her and waving from the other corner. Jade flew to her and grabbed the bars as she looked out, seeing Zander walking towards his car. "Zander!" She screamed, waving her hand in the air. Cat joined her, trying to catch his attention. "Zander please! I'm talking to you!" The man stopped halfway to his car and looked over his shoulder. When he saw the girls his jaw fell.

"Jade? Cat?" He ran closer to the building. Relief swept over her and she fell to her knees, putting her head to the bars and gasping her stomach as sobs fell from her lips. Cat knelt beside her and rubbed her back. She was overwhelmed and thrilled to see him, but scared now that she'd never be able to be near him. What was going to say? Her heart stilled as the air around her grew incredibly thin. "What are you guys doing up there? I thought the school closed down and I was too late for the auditions."

"Not late," she breathed. Her heart ached for him and she feared Beck finding a way to get him despite there being no possible chance. She opened her eyes and gazed down with a smile. "Zander? How have you been?" She had to talk louder for him to hear her. "I'm glad you came! I thought Beck would scare you away."

"Nothing could chase me away. You told me he's abusive, are you okay? What's going on in the school, why are you on the roof?"

"We're locked in, Zander." Her arm hung over the roof and she spread her fingers out slightly as though trying to reach for him. A worried look fell over him and his eyebrows meshed together. "Zander I-I'm scared. The electricity's gone and everything, we can't get out of here until at least dawn."

"I'll go for help."

"No! Stay here!" She shifted nervously and Zander raised an eyebrow. If she didn't survive the night, she wanted him to be with her. Even if it meant they could only see each other and not hold each other. "Please." Her voice cracked and her tears streamed down her face. "I'll have to go back inside but I'm going to keep coming out here-don't leave. I can't…I need to know you'll stay here." His lips thinned and he nodded his determination.

"I'll stay here then."

"Do you have a phone?"

"My phone's charge is gone actually, I was trying to get in touch with you all night." She put her hand to the bar, sliding it down and looking over her shoulder just in case Beck might have gotten a similar idea as she did. "Jade. Everything's going to be all right." She didn't want to worry him about the killer, she didn't want to chance him leaving her. "Are you sure you don't want me to get help?"

At the very least, his presence was calming as his voice was soothing. She had faith that help would come, regardless of his staying or not. After all, everyone here had someone that would notice them not coming home. "Right now Zander, seeing you is enough to calm me down…please don't leave."

"If that's what you want, then I won't." She could see the distress on his face. It broke her heart to see him so concerned and unable to do anything about it. Regardless, he was doing something for her whether he realized it or not. Zander leaned against a nearby telephone pole and crossed his arms. "I'm not going to go anywhere."

"Thank you, Zander." If things got worse, she'd send him to get help. Things were terrible enough as it was, but she didn't want to die thinking that she'd never get to see his face again.

* * *

So they're reunited, Robbie's final message got through just in time for Jade and Cat to reach Zander (for those of you who don't recognize: He's the guy from How to Rock). Jade and Cat will be staying on that roof a while, it's safe.


	12. Broken and Frightened

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 12 (Broken and Frightened)

Jade sat with her back to the bars, listening as Zander played on the guitar as she requested. Cat was watching the door, but for what it was worth, no one had come up. She wasn't sure what was going on inside the school right now, and she was fine with it. She didn't like feeling that the killer would be going after anyone, but there was nothing to do about it. One thing was certain, so long as she had Zander here, she would be okay.

"If Beck's indeed watching him from inside do you think he'd be questioning what's going on?" Cat asked. Jade could honestly say she didn't care what Beck was thinking. She was in her happy place now. Her nerves were soothed by his soft guitar and her body was in a state of relaxation.

"There isn't much Beck can do about it, Cat. He's in there, Zander's out here. Zander's the safest one of us there is." She closed her eyes and visualized herself down there sitting with him beside her, without a care in the world. "I wish I'd told him how I felt when I was younger. Before I dated Beck."

"I think to an extent he knew. I mean you weren't really hiding it." The peaceful tune ended and Jade glanced over her shoulder, waiting for him to continue. His next tune was an energized one, which filled he with some amount of happiness. "Why won't you let him get help?"

"Because I'm scared. I don't want him to leave and I don't want to lose him. Fuck if I'm being unfair to Beck or not-"

"Wouldn't say you're being unfair. You deserve to be happy, and your heart knows what it wants. Probably more than you know." Jade looked over her shoulder, studying Zander's moonlit skin and the polished guitar in his hand. She didn't think she deserved happiness. It was a want but not something she'd ever be entitled to, Beck would be sure of that.

It was to the point she even questioned whether she deserved to love anyone or let anyone love her. She was guarded, and for good reason. Not only could she not afford to hurt anyone else, she didn't want to be hurt.

"Cat?"

"Yes?"

"Do you really think I deserve that?" She shifted to the right and pressed her lips together."I just-I don't know what I want or what I deserve, if anything." The cool wind blew against her face and she turned away with an angry scoff. "I mean really the way I've acted-the way I've treated people."

"Only because of Beck. Remember that. You're still the same sweet girl that Zander knows and I remember. He's not going to care that you mistreated anyone, especially since you were going through so much hell yourself."

"Zander and I both dated someone else. How do I know I'm what he wants?"

"You don't know-but you can always talk to him and find out. He is right out there, after all."

"I'm nervous." Cat put her hands to her hips and raised an eyebrow as a serious expression fell over her. Jade felt a sting of nervousness as Cat narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice.

"Jade. Of all the _shit_ going on tonight-the last thing you need to be worried about is talking to Zander. He's here for you, and because you don't want him to go anywhere-he's not. The least you could do is talk to him." As much as Cat had a point, she couldn't help but to still feel that terror inside. She had to quench her thirst and ignore the rushing of her heart.

"Fine." She turned to the bars and saw there was enough space between them to put her legs through. She pressed herself up against them and grasped them firmly with her hands. Zander looked up to her, meeting her eyes with his familiar, sweet and gentle brown eyes. She held her breath as he removed his guitar's shoulder strap and set the instrument down beside him. She had his full attention.

"So. Tell me about Beck?" Zander inquired. There wasn't much to say that he hadn't already figured or heard from their various emails. "How do you feel about him? Love?" He hesitated on the word and Jade leaned back, clenching her eyes shut.

"No. I don't feel anything like that. He's an angry, violent and dangerous man. Possessive as hell. I don't know what I was thinking. I was lonely and-well-I missed you." Her heart stalled as Zander began to smile. What more could she say to express herself? "What about Stevie? You dated her for a while, so I can only ask how that relationship went."

"She was a good person, but I've always had a mind in one place. It wasn't fair to her so we ended our relationship when she decided to go across the country. Stevie was a good woman, but Jade, she wasn't you." Her cheeks grew red and she instantly turned away. "I know you're still with Beck, so I'm not going to try and whisk you away from him, but-"

"What if I said I wanted you to do that?" Zander was stunned by this confession. She still didn't care and wanted to get away from Beck. Tears slid down her face as her grip tightened further against the bars. "Zander I still feel the way I did back then now. I just…never knew really how to say it."

She saw a smile on his face for a split second. She pressed her forehead against the bars and listened to the loud throbbing inside her chest. A deep yearning was clutching her, tearing at her. "Would you still even want me? The things I've been through, the hell I'm going through. I'm broken…"

"You know how I feel, Jade. Or, at least how I've felt since even junior high. I care about you. That's why I'm here even though some guy threatened to kill me if I showed up." She studied him and began to tremble as her desire and ache swelled.

"I want to be down there with you. Where it's safe, you're safe…" He frowned and began to scan the face of the building. She leaned to the right and watched his studious expression. Was he thinking of trying to climb? He wouldn't be able to get up here or through the bars. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find a way up."

"You won't be able to get through the bars." Sure they weren't right up to the edge, so someone could easily stand on the other side. There was a small gated door that was automatically locked every night with the system. "I blame Principal Eikner."

"Why are you in such a creepy place? Our old school was a lot nicer."

"I'd love to go there. I'd love to go to Brewster… "

"You can! I told you Stevie went across the country right? She got placed early in college, which is why she went. But the others are still around for Senior year. Kacey, Nelson and Reed. You'd like them." Jade chuckled and Cat brightened at the offer.

"Hey it's not a bad deal," the girl remarked, "Certainly beats this nightmare."

"Right now a horde of flesh eating parasites would beat this nightmare."

"Tell me again what is going on in the school right now?" Zander's concern was growing, but Jade was terrified of him leaving. She needed him to stay, and she could see how torn he was about staying for her and going to get help.

"I don't want you to go away, I'm scared. I'm not scared if you're here-"

"I'm not going anywhere. If you're asking me to plant my feet, that's what I'll do. But why is it not safe? What's going on?" She looked to Cat, who shrugged, then back to Zander. Tears scorched her cheeks as she tried to figure the best response. There was no good way to say it.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Someone in there is attacking us." Zander froze and his arms started to lower to his sides as his jaw fell open. "Right now, Beck looks like the suspect in question. We're stuck without any way of getting help, and I'm frightened. I'm really-That's why I don't want you to leave, Zander. I don't want you to leave and something happens."

"Jade if I don't get help-"

"Just don't leave me." A sob drifted from her lips as her body quaked with fear. A wrinkle formed between her eyebrows as she pictured those who died already. She was close to tearing apart. "I don't want to lose you, I don't want to die." Zander took a step forward, scanning the building once more.

"Then I won't, but I'll be damned if I don't do something." He grabbed the guitar and began moving towards one of the windows. Jade extended her arm and called out to him, causing him to stop.

"The windows are reinforced, and the Principal set up these bars to shoot out across them. You can't get in that way."

Zander studied the window and narrowed his eyes. "Shit." Not only was that an issue, but she didn't want him going inside and getting killed. If anyone was going to take action, it was going to be her. She just simply didn't have the weapons to do so.

Of course, it was already determined there were items inside that could be improvised into such a way. "I'm going to fight. If I see the killer I'm going to fight." Zander's face went white for a second and he slowly looked up to her. His concern warmed her heart, but at the same time, it saddened her. "I have to, they're killing everyone down there."

"Be safe. Don't do anything that's going to put you in danger."

"Is there anything in your car? Maybe you can toss it up here." He glanced to the car, contemplating his thoughts. After a few seconds he turned and hurried to the vehicle. She watched him frantically search the vehicle, only to come up short. She felt dejected at that. She let out a defeated chuckle once he made his way back over. "I bet the worst thing you thought you were going to deal with was a jealous, abusive boyfriend."

"Well, that may be the extent of what I thought."

"There's a chance he's the one killing people." Zander remained calm for several seconds as the information processed, then a look of terror swept over him. She winced as he continued to glare at the school, scanning it for signs of entry.

"There's got to be a way." He began to walk the perimeter, so Jade quickly got up and followed him from behind the bars. They walked all the way to the back of the school where Zander let out a triumphant shout.

"What do you see?"

"A ladder to the roof." Her heart stopped and Cat moved her hands to her mouth to cover a smile. Zander gripped the ladder and began his ascent. "I might not be able to get in there, but if I can help you in any way…" He reached the top and stood on the outer edge of the bars, grasping them carefully and looking into her eyes. She started to melt as his lip curled upwards. "Hey there."

"Y-You-why would you…" She stammered in search of words until Cat pushed her against the bars. Jade let out a subtle squeak and glanced fearfully at the man. He wouldn't hurt her, he was the safest thing about tonight. So why was she so scared?

Her body leaned in yearning for his touch. She pushed her arms through the bar, setting her hand on his. He turned his hand to cup hers, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Jade felt the shock run along her arm and spread out across her. Her head set gently against the bars and a tiny sob fell from her.

"I'm a different person, Zander." She looked up, sweeping her tears away. His eyebrows moved in towards each other and his lips fell into a frown. "I'm not the same person I was back then."

"Nobody is the same person they were a day ago." She raised an eyebrow as he drifted his hand up and tucked a finger gently beneath her chin. Her breath shot out from her lungs as she further melted into his gaze, whimpering beneath her breath. "People change every day. Experiences, life, they sort of twist you around. I still see someone beautiful, and I see that same compassionate look in your eyes. Maybe you're hurting, maybe you're scared, but I'm not going to judge you."

"Zander…"

"And I am going to find my way to you somehow. I can't just stand out here and do nothing, Jade…not when you're in danger." He lowered his hand and turned his head to the side, smiling gently. "I know you're a fighter, you can handle yourself, but don't think that means I'm going to sit around letting you handle business while I do nothing." She started to smile as her tears slid over her lips. I know you're scared, but I'm going to be right here for you."

"Beck knows you're outside, Zander. If he knew you were here, if he saw me talking to you…"

"He can't do anything to me out here. By that same regard I can't do anything to him, so…" She nodded and looked back at the door with a slight shrug.

"He has no idea I'm up here, and if he tries anything I'll push him off me. Cat can take him too…she's scrappy." Cat laughed disbelievingly and Jade looked back to Zander. She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. "Right now, I need you. Okay? I can act as tough as I want, but when it comes down to it-there's a killer in there and I'm scared of dying. I can't stay calm, my mind is hell right now and I keep trying to recite everything my dad ever says about psychology so I can rationalize it all-but that's impossible!" Her words began to overlap as her voice quickened. She paused to breathe and curled her fingers between his. "If you're here, then to me that's…I don't know how to explain it."

"You're a comfort," Cat interjected. Jade blushed and Zander started to smile.

"As much as I want to be with you, Zander. I'm not going to make you be the other guy-it's not fair to you, and I know it'll only cause problems with Beck, but I…I want you to know that whatever happens tonight-I've always wanted to be with you." She inhaled sharply and stretched her arms through the bars, wrapping them around him. He did the same, rubbing her back and hugging he gently. It was almost as if the very thing that separated them was nothing but a small issue. "I still have feelings for you, but I'm scared."

"Of what?"

Her voice descended into a hushed whisper as she bowed her head. "That you'll see how crazy I am and how abused I am, and that you'll leave me."

"Well. If a man abuses his woman, he's a coward, but by that token…a man that leaves someone they care about behind because they've been abused by someone is also a coward. You need me to support you, to be here for you, then I will. I won't leave you." Jade's heart skipped a beat and her temperature started to rise.

Cat reached out, patting Jade's back as she stated the obvious. "He's a good man, Jade." She could feel her wall beginning to drop and shatter at her feet. Her emotions were out of control and the longing within her pulled her towards Zander. He made her feel in ways that Beck was unable, even after all these years, she still yearned for him.

Whatever hell there was, whatever chaos was going on beneath her feet as well as within her heart, she could face it now. First, though, she wanted to stay in his arms. For here, she felt like she was in heaven, that there was a sign of hope. The one gleaming ray of light in the dark night.

While in heaven, she hardly cared what was going on in hell. The demon ravaging the halls couldn't touch her, because he could not find her. She was safe for the first time tonight, and she was comfortable.

With Zander back, she was confident that maybe, just maybe she could get out of this mess alive.

* * *

Your thoughts?


	13. Semi-Complete, Fragile Family

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 13 (Semi-Complete, Fragile Family)

"Momma are you okay?" Holly lifted her tear filled eyes to the sky at the sound of Tori's anxious voice. Her hair was a mess and her body was numb with pain. All she wished for was release, an escape from this madness. Tori stood over her, a silhouette basking in the glow of the moonlight. "Why are you crying, Mommy?"

"I can't it anymore. This is too much." She moved her hands to her face and continued to weep. She couldn't think anymore on the deaths that were happening here. "Why is this happening? I already lost my baby, why do I have to watch this?!" Saliva dripped from her mouth as her anger and fear burned hot inside her. "Am I being punished?" She put her hand to her hair, whimpering. "I'm being punished for Gary aren't I? That's it."

"I'm sorry you're hurting." Tori sat beside her and moved an arm around her shoulder. Holly looked over to see the tearstains on her daughter's cheeks. Her heart ached to be able to clean those away, but how could she when she was in such distress herself? "Momma, I'm scared too. I love you…it's going to be okay. We'll see Tri-Tri again one day." Tori's voice cracked and a startling sob crashed from the girl's lips. "We'll all be together again. We'll be happy, momma. You, me, Trina, Daddy, and even Sinjin will be with Trina and his little baby. So we'll see her again someday, mommy, she wouldn't want-wouldn't want us to cry."

"No." Holly's tears further increased in bitterness and grief. She wanted to see Trina now, she wanted to have her family back _now_. Instead, there was some crazed lunatic running around and she had to worry about losing her other daughter as well as her husband. "I don't want to lose anyone else, baby. I want to be free from this hell."

"I wish I could make you happy again, Momma." Tori hugged her neck. Warmth descended upon her as she reached around her daughter and gently rubbed her back. Tori pulled away, gasping happily. "I know what'll make you happy! Let me go find daddy, I think you two need to talk. What better way to rekindle your love for each other?" Holly chuckled softly and swept her tears from her eyes.

"Sweetie, being trapped in a school with a killer making you lose your mind is hardly a place to renew your love for someone."

"Well. You and daddy have been fighting over Gary, so I know neither of you are happy." Tori frowned at her and slowly stood up. "I think you deserve happiness, Momma. We all do." Tori pulled a small recorder from her pocket and Holly's eyebrows rose. It was an old cassette recorder that ran on batteries. "I recorded a song on here, I think you and Dad can dance to it. Slow dancing in the moonlight, it's romantic."

"Romantic?"

This was hardly romantic in any way, what part of that wasn't clear? Holly wasn't looking for love, she wanted death! Hell, there was no way David would want to be romantic with her when he knew about her affair with Gary.

Annoyance jabbed at her and she struggled to remain calm. "Tori. Dear. Your father hates me."

"No! Dad loves you, and you love him!" Tori threw her hand down, whimpering sadly and purging guilt onto her mother. "You two can be happy again, just try." She gave her daughter a sad smile, ignoring the feeling of hopelessness inside of her. Tori's positivity was inspiring, and a little bit of light in this dark place. Maybe she had a point, maybe she and David could rekindle whatever it was they had lost. "For Trina, momma? Would you do it for Trina, if not me?"

"Well, I suppose your sister would want us to be happy again." She smiled sadly and bowed her head. "Sure honey, go get your father." Tori's face lit up and she scurried off in pursuit of David. Holly couldn't kill off her heartache, and she was still torn between the two men in her life. "My baby girl…So sweet, so innocent but naïve…"

Why had she gone off to cheat on David? He'd immersed himself so much into his work that he'd stopped paying attention to her. Women had needs too, and they weren't being met. He'd grown much different from the man she fell in love with. Sure, it wasn't an excuse, but she'd faltered anyway. He'd never forgive her. They couldn't be happy again, they couldn't rekindle it, there was too much separation between them to save their marriage. Trina's death certainly didn't help things any, it made things worse for them. What Tori didn't realize was, divorce was well a considerable thought for a couple that never believed in it.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall, groaning softly as she yearned for that blissful emotion to return. For her doubts to be destroyed and for hope to be reborn.

After several minutes, she heard her husband's soft, deep voice. "Tori said you wanted to talk to me?" Her eyes opened up and she met the handsomely chiseled face of her husband, glowing in the moonlight. Her lips curved into a smile as he knelt down before her, resting his strong arm over his bent knee. "I know it's a stupid thing to ask right now, but…are you okay?" She scoffed and turned her head away, laughing weakly.

"No of course not." How could she look him in the eyes? But worse, how could he look at her still so full of love? "What's happened to us, David? Everything's going to hell…our marriage is in shambles, we've lost our baby girl…"

"I don't know." He sat beside her and folded his arms at his waist. She looked at him with a sad smile. Her heart skipped a beat as she studied his muscular form and incredibly broad shoulders. He was strong, and Trina had been so strong like her father. She was every bit his little girl, his favorite whether he said it or not. She wanted to grow up to be just like him, a strong minded police officer.

Trina had always been sharp too, never afraid to speak her mind about anything. She didn't care whose feelings were hurt, if she had to speak the truth she would do it. "Our angel…she's really in heaven now…" David's eyes glistened and he slowly shook his head.

"I don't want to believe she's gone. I still can't fathom it." Trina had been an unplanned pregnancy by two people very much in love. It was on their ninth date, she remembered clearly, the first time they made love. David was in a state of shock, since a doctor told him he was impotent, but clearly he had not been. Trina was their miracle, and for that, David loved her more than life itself. They married the day before Trina was born, and Holly barely got to hold her daughter, but she didn't mind because David was one hell of a happy father.

"Trina wouldn't want to see us like this. Tori's right, it wouldn't be fair to her or to Tori…" Her hand slipped over to David's and he glanced at her through the corner of his eyes. His lip tucked into a tiny smile as she moved her head to his shoulder. "I'm sorry about Gary. I don't even know why you haven't left me yet."

"Because I still love you."

"Why? You shouldn't…"

"That's not fair, Holly." She lifted her head and met his warm, but stern eyes. "Nobody can tell me who to love. You will always be that person to me, no matter what. If you're happier with another man, so be it. I don't want to share you, but I'm not going to stop you from behind happy…if I don't make you happy…but I don't want to give up on us."

"I don't either, I just-I lost my way okay?" David frowned and slowly stood up. She put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet.

"Why?"

"Because. You…You became so into your career, you forgot about me. I'm your _wife_, and we hardly touch."

"I'm sorry."

"I just want what we had before. I want to be happy again, to be that woman who has a man that loves her and looks at her like she's his entire world."

"I'm right here." He held her close and she moved her hands over his shoulders, draping her arms downward as she smiled into his gaze. They heard a gentle song echo in the hall and turned to see Tori watching them tearfully. In her hand was the recorder, and her mouth was curved into a bright smile.

"Are you happy yet?" Tori asked. "You guys are going to stay together?"

"We'll work on it dear," Holly whispered. She gazed into David's eyes, melting into his strong embrace. "Nothing's set in stone yet, but we'll try…won't we, David?"

"Ball's in your court, love." She couldn't believe how right Tori had been, that this hell they were inside could be so romantic at the same time. It seemed unlikely as it was impossible! "I'll try to be a better husband to you. We can make this work. I know we can. We've made it through so much more."

"I don't feel strong anymore. I don't even feel like we can be a proper family again. I know we have to try, it's just…it's difficult."

Tori looked between them, sniffling sadly, "I just want us to be a family again." Holly bowed her head and David frowned, resting his chin on Holly's head.

"Sometimes it's not so easy."

"Well why not? If you love each other, that's all that matters…right?"

"Yes, but there are a lot of other contributing factors." Tori frowned and slowly nodded.

"I understand. Trina's gone, how can any of us be a family again?" Holly tensed and David looked to his daughter with a deep mournful glance. "Nothing to be done, right?"

Holly broke away from David and walked over, placing her hands comfortably on Tori's shoulders, "It isn't like that baby." Tori sniffled and her tears fell from her tightened jaw. "We're trying to make it through her loss, but we'll be okay. All of us will be." Holly hugged Tori close, frowning at the sensation of her daughter's trembling form and silent sobbing. She didn't want to promise something that she herself wasn't sure of, but she knew she needed to comfort her child. "Mommy's here for you."

"I still…feel like nothing will make things better, Momma."

"In tine sweetheart. In time."

"No. This won't go away." She felt her daughter's tears soaking her shoulder. Her heart broke as she held onto her, as though trying to protect her daughter from some unseen enemy. She didn't want to lose her baby girl to this maddening depression. "It hurts momma, I can't take it! I don't want to be without my sister. I want to be happy again, but I can't be. Everyone else is so depressed, it doesn't help! Sinjin looks ready to throw himself off a bridge, for crying out loud…but I understand. Losing Trina, losing a baby, he can't be happy. You guys need to be happy…"

"We're trying honey. We'll be okay, the three of us can stick together through this."

"I hope so, momma. I really do…" Tori moved her arms around her and buried her face into her shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too, angel. Your dad and I will always love you."

"Bu-But you don't love each other?"

"No we do." Holly looked to David, mouthing for him to come over. He did so and put his arms around the two, embracing them and gently kissing the top of Tori's head. Tori seemed to relax, which led to them doing the same. "We just need to work on our relationship, but we'll be okay. Just like you said…you're our inspiration."

"I am?"

"Yes, and we love you sweetheart."

"Love you too momma."

* * *

A little insight on the Vega family holding up. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Oh and to response of a statement made, yep, Tori's got a recorder.


	14. On the Run

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 14 (On the Run)

"Sinjin I think I found something," Sikowitz declared with a chortling laugh, "It's been right in front of our faces this entire time! I can't believe I didn't see it before." He spread his arms out, standing in front of the office doors and looking to the windows on either side. "The windows! I don't know if the glass is the same material as the windows outside but it's worth a shot to try and break them."

An eerie silence answered him, but it was deafening enough as he twisted around trying to see where his young protégé was. They'd been so panic stricken and he's been counseling him all this time that he honestly hadn't been figuring how to get into the office. "Sinjin? Where did you go, we need to get inside and unlock the damn system before that maniac-" He scratched at his head and began muttering as he walked though away from the office doors.

The man never left his side during all of this, which was what he found so uncanny. "I swear Eikner, you need to get rid of this ghastly system!" He crossed his arms and huffed angrily. His usual calm, laid back demeanor was gone due to the lack of supply from the coconut milk. He feared that he was beginning to look like a mad scientist.

As he walked, he saw Andre moving throughout the halls. He cleared his throat and hung his fingers over his forearm as Andre stopped. "Have you seen Sinjin anywhere?" Andre shook his head and glanced off to the side.

"No I've been looking for Beck. He's been looking everywhere for Jade. Hasn't found her yet." Not surprising, but he was thankful that Jade was staying away from Beck.

"Ah your little friend." Sikowitz cupped his hand over his chin and narrowed his eyes. "I haven't seen him around either, let's look for them then." Andre nodded slowly and joined him in his walk. "I swear Andre, I wish I hadn't decided to put this play on." The guilt of what had been happening was beginning to get to even him. He wanted to protect his students, but didn't have the slightest idea how. "What good does all this running around do? We can't escape, we can't hide, and for whatever reason we choose not to fight"

"I'd probably fight. I haven't seen this killer anywhere, and Cat said they were cloaked. There's a dude outside, isn't there?"

"Yes. We were looking for him, but he looked crazy for a moment." When they found this guy, he was standing outside a window and looking up into the sky talking with what looked like he was straining to yell. "I don't think there's any chance he's going to help us. Besides, we can't find him now, he ended up running off somewhere. Somewhere along the way I imagine I lost sight of Sinjin."

"When?"

"Don't know, probably near the auditorium somewhere. Tori was looking around for her dad, saying she wanted him to talk to her mom about something."

"Ah. Yeah, I feel bad for the Vegas, they've got it rough." Andre crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Sikowitz. "What about you? You seemed pretty upset with Trina's death."

"Much like her sister, Trina was among one of my favorite students." He never taught Trina, since she was more in the athletic department, but she did talk to him in the hallways quite often. They formed a fast teacher to student bond especially since she was always wanting to know how Tori was doing in class, among other things. "She always cared about her sister, was always checking on her, and she would sometimes help carry my supplies out to the car. I always parked a long ways off and had quite a load to carry, she was one of the only students that actually helped the teachers with their work."

"I see."

"I imagine I treated you and your friends unfairly, but try and understand that I was angry. No one was taking responsibility for what happened to Trina, and according to Lane it was not the first time. It was the second time a similar thing happened to her and a second time nobody took responsibility!" His anger began to rise as his body heated up. Andre flinched and he turned an angry glare to the man. "She was not an invisible person that nobody cared about, she was a human being that deserved more than the crap you kids gave her." Andre turned his head down and lifted his shoulders.

"I know, and I'm sorry. That doesn't bring her back, it doesn't make things better. We were idiots and we followed an idiot. Which-to be honest-is probably the reason Robbie's dead. For all I know." Sikowitz studied the man closely, feeling a suspicious sensation rise in him.

"What do you mean? You think he's responsible?"

"If not directly, then indirectly at the very least." Andre shook his head narrowed his eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is there's more to Beck than we think. I don't know if he's a coldblooded killer or not, I just know he's an angry and paranoid man."

"He always seemed so calm and laid back."

"Well how a man appears in public and how they appear in their private life are two different things. An abuser is just as good of an actor as an actual actor is. People wonder why he's the most popular male actor in this school-it's because he's so damn good at what he does."

"I imagine that would explain some things." If Beck truly was responsible, they needed to put him on heavy guard. It was hard to think he could have killed his best friend, but knowing how volatile he'd gotten and hearing about the argument he and Robbie had, it was a little more difficult to say he didn't have something to do with it.

Now if they caught him in the act or found solid proof, things would be better and they'd have an answer as to who in the hell was running around.

Turning the corner, they saw David and Holly in an embrace with Tori watching on with a smile. David glanced up and pulled away when he saw the distress on Sikowitz's face. "Is something the matter?" The rest of the family looked over with the same concern.

"Sinjin is missing, and I suppose all the others are too." David's eyes widened and he looked back with a slight mutter. "Andre and I are looking around, and are fixing to check out the main lobby near the front doors. Thought you might be interested just in case…we find something…" He hoped Sinjin would be alive, he didn't want to have to find a new assistant soon. Though at the same time, if the killer did find him, it would just be a gift of mercy for the poor man. If he was dead, he prayed that it would have been quick and without too much suffering. Nothing like what they'd seen thus far.

"Where is Beck?" David inquired. Andre explained he'd been looking for the man, and David simply groaned. "Great, so Sinjin's missing. Beck's missing. Where are the girls?" Sikowitz shrugged and Andre repeated what he told him of Beck's looking for Jade.

"Beck saw this guy outside and said he was some sort of lover in Jade's past or something, I don't know. Robbie ran off to find Cat, so there's a chance he probably told Cat, who would have told Jade." David moved his hand to his forehead and Sikowitz looked up to the ceiling, realizing that there was a possibility for Jade to have tried to make contact with the man. Since the man was looking up and talking, was that a sign Jade and Cat were on the roof?

"So Miss West has a lover?"

"Had one. Apparently they separated when they transferred schools. Apparently she sent him an email recently asking him to come by for the audition, and Beck sent him a threatening email warning him away."

"It's Zander," Tori replied softly, "She had a thing with him years ago. Still loves him. That's what she and Cat told me. You think she might be trying to find a way to get to him?"

"Always possible."

"Then…if Beck finds her." Tori's hand flew over her mouth and her eyes widened tremendously. "We need to find Beck!"

"We will," David began to move with Sikowitz, motioning the others to follow. "But first we find Sinjin. I have a feeling we will find Beck soon."

"Right." Sikowitz hoped now that Jade may have gotten out of the school with Cat. He feared anything happening to those two, they deserved to get out of here safely.

When they turned the corner, they saw someone laying down against a wall. Everyone froze and Sikowitz studied the figure with his jaw agape. Sinjin was laying perpendicular with his head touching the wall. His arms were laying over his chest as if he were in a casket. But more astonishing was Beck's presence.

The startled man was checking Sinjin's pulse and staring at the others with wide eyes. Sikowitz began fuming with rage as Beck quickly stood up and shook his head. "I know what this looks like, but I swear I just found him like this!" Beck pleaded. Tori was the first to lash out, stepping forward and cursing him out.

"How could you!" She screamed in anguish as Beck took a slow step back. "Why the hell are you doing this, Beck?!"

"I'm not! You need to understand, I'm not doing it!"

"Liar! You killed him didn't you! You killed him just like you killed Robbie, Greg, Billy and those girls!"

"No I swear to god I didn't!"

"I bet you're the one that killed my sister too!" Tori's furious scream startled everyone. Beck began looking from left to right, shivering as the girl began to approach him. "I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! Why are you so crazy!"

"Please, you don't understand. I found him."

David cracked his knuckles and his voice grew dark, "You need to work on your excuses son." David stepped past Tori, moving towards Beck with a fiery glare. Tori began to pant as her chest rose and fell rapidly. Holly hugged her close, staring down at Sinjin's body with tears in her eyes. Beck looked for something from Andre, but the man turned away, rejecting him.

"I don't see anyone else around."

"Andre come on! Think about how long we've been friends, you _know_ I wouldn't do this!"

"No. I don't. I don't even know who you are anymore. I wonder if you found Jade yet." Beck's eyes filled with horror. Andre clenched his fists and stepped forward. "How long until you kill her too? How long? Women in her situation sometimes never get out, and the abuser only gets worse until they die! I'm sick of covering for your ass!"

"Andre no!"

"Go to hell!"

"Shit…" There was no chance of reasoning with the man. So as any coward would do, Beck turned and ran. Sikowitz wanted to chase after him, but he was too shocked by what he saw on the floor. David could see it too, that Sinjin was different from the other victims.

He crouched down with the man, staring sadly at the youth. Unlike the open eyes of the others, Sinjin's eyes were shut as though he were sleeping. There wasn't any blood, and of course the obvious was his positioning. Then there was a very slight change to his face, post mortem, someone had curved his lips into a tiny smile. "The killer's changing their tactics, maybe?"

"I'm not sure," David replied. "Either that or he did this to himself." David pointed to a cup beside Sinjin's body and Sikowitz leaned over, groaning at the item with a small amount of fluid left in it. "Do you think Sinjin would have drank anything given to him by Beck?"

"Maybe if he forced it down his throat."

"Yes, but why would the killer-especially if it _is_ Beck-adjust Sinjin like this? Just changing his tactic from the last few violent murders to something done with care? It's almost like it's a different person. That, or Sinjin self ingested poison and laid down this way. We won't know unless the person strikes again, and I'm hoping we'll stop him before that happens…"

"If it is Beck?"

"We go after the bastard now and put him down." David's face sneered as a mask of pure hatred swept over him, clearly distraught over Sinjin's death. Sikowitz felt a lump in his throat and he watched as Andre stepped beside the man.

"I'm with you Officer Vega. I don't care if I have to hunt him down, he's got it coming." The two men moved in the direction Beck ran. Sikowitz still felt a great amount of unease and distress. He turned to see Tori still staring at Sinjin, tears pouring down her face while her mother rubbed her fingers along her forehead.

"I'm so sorry."

"This can't keep happening," Holly lamented. "He was a son to us…I-I need some time."

As the girls left, Sikowitz lifted his tired gaze to a nearby camera on the wall. His muscles tensed while his shoulders sloped downward and his jaw locked. "Eikner. I'm tired…like a worn out old shoe. I hope you're happy with your school's protection system. It works amazingly well…" He scoffed as the sarcasm in his voice dripped like venom. At this point, even he was beginning to lose all hope or faith in survival.

* * *

What are your thoughts


	15. Hoping for Rescue

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 15 (Hoping for Rescue)

"I'm going to go back inside," Jade whispered while leaning back against the bars. Zander's arms were coming through and holding her around her waist protectively. Cat was too busy gushing over the moment to really recall anything that had been going on. "I'll be back up once I figure out what is going on, and I'll let you guys know the situation."

"You shouldn't go in there," Cat pushed herself up and looked to the door with a subtle frown. "You don't know what's happening, and you might run into Beck-or the person that's doing all these things." She had to try, despite everything. She was much calmer than she had been, and was comfortable in the fact that she could come right back to the roof.

"I won't be long." She pulled herself away, shuddering when she felt the release of Zander's soft touch. She was conflicted and unsure how to feel exactly, and already she was trying to figure out how to leave Beck. If she so tried, he'd probably kill her. Maybe not literally, but she was terrified enough to feel like he could. "Just a little quick investigation to see if anything has changed." She made it to the door, stopped for a second after some quick contemplation and turned to the others. "Not to mention, picking up some weapons would be a good idea. I wonder if anyone has thought to do that yet."

"Probably not," Cat replied flatly. "I'd grab a baseball bat, bowling ball, or whatever I could grab."

"Yeah." She laughed weakly and opened the door, taking one last glimpse at Cat and Zander before descending the steps. She always questioned that aspect in movies that were similar to this, not that she wanted to compare her life to a movie or a simple horror flick, but the survivors almost never grabbed a weapon that wasn't a tiny knife. _Friday the 13__th__? _Nope. Jason had a big old machete for which to slice and dice but not only did nobody think to take gun, equally sized weapon or even a makeshift beer bottle with a rag, gasoline and a lighter to the guy, but they couldn't even think to take away the damned machete! It was that simple, take his machete and do a little hack and slash of their own, then bam, Jason Voorhees is dead.

Not to mention it went without saying that the killer wasn't always around or attacking, some people were at an advantage of freely roaming around.

Either way, there had to be some weapon laying around. There was one killer just one, and they thought they were going to ravage the place? No, they were not going to win, they weren't going to get the better of them.

"Should grab something for Cat. Maybe Zander, but he doesn't have any way to use something." She made her way through the bleak halls, smelling the familiar stench of death nearby. Her eyebrow rose up and she leaned around a nearby corner just to make sure she wasn't coming up onto anyone. As she made her way down the corridor the stench grew stronger, causing the bile in her stomach to swirl about.

Finally she got to the source of the smell and was startled to see Sinjin's body laying in front of a locker. "No!" Her knees began to buckle as her breath hitched. Suddenly she feared for the others, curious if anyone else was still alive.

She moved shakily towards Sinjin and knelt beside him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she touched his wrist, "I am so, so sorry." Was Tori safe still? She wanted to find her and make sure, but there was still a fear of running into Beck or the killer. She needed to get to the roof as fast as she could.

Jade closed her eyes and felt a shiver down her spine. Her fingers curled around Sinjin's cold wrist and her body shook out a sob. "Rest easy Sinjin, with your wife and baby…" She had to say it, to wish him peace in the afterlife. Her eyelids slid open and she looked across the way with flaring nostrils. This was beginning to get too far, she had to prepare herself for a fight. Especially if Beck was the one responsible. She'd seen Jennifer Lopez's movie _Enough_ plenty of times to be even somewhat inspired.

She knew what she wanted, and she knew how to get it. If Beck threatened her, she was going to fight back the best she could. _"I'm going to make it out of this. I have to." _Jade pushed herself up, fighting the burning inside.

Carefully she made her way to the gym, walking through the pool room and turning her head away from Greg's body on the floor. The bile in her she had to push down, and she knew if she looked to him, she wouldn't make it. It was best not to focus on the hell she was walking through.

Entering the sports department, she scanned for anything she could carry up to the roof. _"Light items, think light." _She could try for football armor, but then, she was going to have to lug it all the way to the roof. Not worth it, but padding was.

She grabbed a box and began tossing various things in whether it be padding from umpire uniforms in baseball or bats and bowling balls. When she was satisfied with her load, she proceeded to carry the box out, but struggled a bit with the heaviness.

Thinking to the people she thought might still be alive, she considered it best to give them some help as well as lighten her load. _"Tori, Mr. and Mrs. Vega, this is for you-and Sikowitz. Kick Beck's ass if you see him…"_ Where this strength had come from, she didn't know. A fire had indeed been reignited during her time with Zander, so it was possible that it came from there.

She scattered some loose pins, balls, and a bat around the floor. There was even a helmet for which anyone could use to bash someone's head in if they had to. The load steadily grew lighter, to the point she had to keep the items in.

Her eyes drifted to the restroom door where Robbie's body had been, she frowned and said a quiet word of peace for him before continuing on, eventually passing the cafeteria. She heard people talking, so it was best to steer clear of the area.

Tiffany and Shirley came to mind when she crossed through the auditorium, their bodies remained on the stage, with Tiffany's blonde hair covering her face and Shirley's auburn locks mixing in with a small pool of blood. "I'm sorry for this, girls. I really am…" She made her way into the prop room, remembering the pitchfork, and grabbed it up. She gripped it firmly along with the golf club in her hand. Zander and Cat might accuse her of collecting an arsenal but she couldn't be too careful. _"Way too much to carry though…"_

As she made her way back to the area where the stairs were, she heard Beck's voice coming from a nearby room. Holding her breath, she jumped behind a wall and waited for him to pass. His heavy footsteps pass by her and she carefully stepped into the shadows of the crevice, pressing her back firmly against the door.

He stopped directly in front of her. His entire body was trembling nervously, his once thick lion mane was frayed and drenched with sweat, and he was glancing anxiously over his shoulder. Her heart began to throb but with the air so silent she was terrified Beck would hear. "T-Thought I heard something." She slowly stood the golf club and pitchfork in the dark corner and reached into the box, grabbing a bowling pin. To her amazement, and relief, Beck turned back into the room.

With that, she changed her course, knowing where the stairwell was on the second floor. With a deep breath, she made her way to them and concentrated on her path as she passed the room where Bill's corpse lay. Her stomach tempted her to hurl, but she fought through it by keeping a mental check on herself _"I'm going to make it. I'm going to make it. Not going to stop. I'm going to live. I'm going to be with Zander, I'm going to get away from Beck."_ If it was even possible. She did question if she really deserved that happiness, that freedom.

But yes, she did as a matter of fact deserve it, and she was going to get that freedom.

She said a small prayer of peace for Bill before making it up the stairs to the roof. Once there, she kicked the door open and took a large breath of fresh air. "A little help here!" She stumbled forward with the box and Cat rushed over, grabbing the other side while also grabbing the pitchfork and golf club.

"Holy shit did you raid the sports room?!"

"Yes…" They set the box down beside Zander. Her eyes drifted to Cat's and she motioned to the box. "Take your pick. If Beck or the killer manages to find us on the roof, we'll be able to protect ourselves." Cat gazed down and slowly nodded her head.

"There's stuff left in there, right?"

"Yeah I didn't take everything out." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, struggling to think of a way to inform her about Sinjin. It was likely she'd have to come straight out with it. "Cat, there's been another dead." Cat looked up with a frown as Jade closed her eyes and clenched her fists. "Sinjin. He's gone…"

"Trina's fiancé…I almost thought he'd be the one doing this if not Beck."

"I did see Beck. He looks like he's running, so maybe he is the one. I don't know, but something scared him. If he is in fact the one doing all this, maybe we should stop him."

"I don't know how we'd do that. I'd be a little anxious going up against him, Jade. It's safer here as far as I'm concerned." Jade nodded as Cat reached in to the box, feeling around the various items. "I just don't want to fight that guy. I think Sam would be able to take him, I know physical strength wise, I'm not that strong. You? Maybe, but I don't think I want to chance seeing him hurt you."

"You have a point." She could imagine herself fighting him, but when it came down to the push off, she still feared him. She didn't know if she'd have it in herself to do, especially if he were to begin cussing her out or attacking her mentally. "Maybe it is better to just stay where we are. Let the cops handle things…" She moved to the bars and looked out to the empty parking lot. "If they ever come."

"Jade." Cat put her hands to her hips and looked to Zander. "We're stuffed with weapons, people don't know we're on the roof. I'd say we're safe. Maybe we should send him for help."

Jade felt a painful tug on her heart and glanced back at him. "I don't know." The police wouldn't do much listening to the panicked ramblings of some seventeen year old teenager in the middle of the night. They wouldn't act unless there were hard proof that something is wrong. "Give me some time…"

"Nothing will happen," Zander promised. "I'm not going anywhere, and you'll be safe." She reached out, gripping his hand firmly. She would not let go for fear of her own insecurities, but she had to. Cat was right, Zander was their best and only hope right now unless Eikner actually flipped on the damn security cameras, and she couldn't take another death.

"Okay…just please come back, Zander." He squeezed her hand as she moved her head against the bars. He leaned forward, gently kissing her forehead. The gesture sent curls of warmth down her. Her heart skipped and her gaze flew to his with a nervous whimper.

"I'll come back for you."

"I'm holding you to that." He smiled reassuringly at her and began to descend the ladder. Jade pressed her back against the bars and slid down, sighing heavily as her eyes fell onto the box.

Now there was nothing left to do but pray Zander could get to the police in time and they'd be rescued before anyone else died. Unfortunately, she had a terrible feeling that it would come too late.

* * *

So what are your thoughts here


	16. A Teacher's Last Stand

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 16 (A Teacher's Last Stand)

"Where the hell did all this come from?" Sikowitz asked stepping over a fallen bowling pin. David walked behind him with the same startled expression. Various sports items were littered around the floor, but by whom? He grabbed a bowling ball off the floor and studied it closely. "Either we're being toyed with, or-"

"Somebody could be giving us something to defend ourselves with." David picked up an aluminum bat and swung it in the air. "You know I used to play on my high school baseball team?" Sikowitz raised his eyebrows up and followed the man towards a window. "Of course I was also a bit of a delinquent if you can believe that. Ran the bases the fastest of my team and at night I was busy fooling around with my friends-doing things teenagers do that we shouldn't."

"I see. Trina got her athleticism from you then?" David nodded in response and stood before one of the barred windows, studying it while tapping the bat on his shoulder. "David, even if we could break the glass somehow, there is no getting through those bars."

"I know. That's what I'm trying to figure out." The man turned around with a sigh and moved the tip of the bat down onto the floor. "You said maybe the office windows can be shattered? If so, we can get in and you should have the access code. Right?" That was the plan anyway, he needed to first get in. "So do you think you could have the code turned on? Also, a backup generator-does this school have one?'

"Probably. I'll have to check." David pat the bat into his hand and moved with Sikowitz towards the office window. Sikowitz watched him take a batter's stance, hovering the bat over his shoulder. The man's eyes widened as the officer tightened his muscles and swung with incredible force, shattering the window in an instant. "Holy shit…" Glass shards scattered throughout, some even reaching far enough to scratch his legs. He took a step back as David tossed the bat on the floor and jerked his thumb into the office with a toothy smirk.

"You check on that stuff, Mr. Sikowitz. I'll let the others know you're getting the systems turned on so we can get the hell out of here."

"Sure we should do that before getting Beck? He's still hiding out somewhere in this damn school."

"He'll have to come out eventually." David walked off and Sikowitz glanced down at the glass shards. He had to wonder, didn't Eikner have some sort of alarm rigged to go off at home in the event of a break in? Would it be so simple? If breaking the glass on the office door triggered it, then perhaps they'd be in a good situation. He could only hope for the best.

"All right, time to get this situation under control." He climbed into the office, gasping as some glass attached still to the window sliced into his hand. "Damn it!:" He peered at the blood gushing from his left palm and quickly removed the scarf around his neck, wrapping it around the wound.

As he searched the office for the machine, he couldn't help but to feel a pair of eyes on him. At this point he'd had enough of the ominous feelings and vibes he was getting from the damned place. "Where's the damn thing…"

Of course he wanted to find a backup generator first, but he had no idea if that was even in the office. Sikowitz made his way through the halls in the place ad frowned, half expecting some sort of mechanical beeping, almost like a supercomputer. Perhaps that would be too easy.

"It must be around here somewhere." He tapped his chin and made his way to the copy room. There he found nothing more than printers and copy machines. Annoyed with this search, he tore down the corridor, stopping by the nurse's office. There wasn't anything in there, which of course he wasn't surprised about. "The nurse should have something I can use for defense though…"

He entered into the room and began searching through the nurse's station, finally coming across a pair of small scissors. He tossed them into his pocket and left the nurse's office, feeling that strange sensation yet again. "Principal Eikner, did you hide it in the principal's office?" Or would that be too easy of a presumption? Could the principal's paranoia suspect such a thing, thereby hiding the machine in another office? "Maybe the vice principal's office holds it?"

Sikowitz walked towards Eikner's office and crossed his arms as he looked around. Eikner had a big polished wood desk with a cushy red chair. The desk was framed by a bookshelf. "If I were a paranoid principal with a system rigged to lock the entire school up with one foul sweep…where would I put the key?" He tapped his forehead and clenched his eyes as he attempted to think of any hiding spot.

Then he remembered, the killer would have used the device and hidden it away! "Shit." He hurried from the Principal's office, his heart racing as he scanned the perimeter. "Where is the damn box?" Looking around, he saw something he hadn't before.

On the secretary's desk was a large device that resembled an old school typewriter. It wasn't there before, and he immediately recognized it as the device he was looking for. Anxious, but also fearful of its mysterious appearance, Sikowitz approached.

The frightful feeling came over him yet again as he peered out over his shoulder. "I must be getting paranoid-I swear to god there's someone near." He pushed his concerns from his mind and hurried to the machine, putting his fingers to the keys as he tried to recall the access code. "What was it again?"

When he finally remembered, he began typing the long code down. He was three keystrokes away from being ready to strike the activation button when he felt a violent tug around his throat.

His eyes widened as a sharp wire pierced tight into his neck and his body was yanked away. His hands flew to the wire and attempted to dig between it and his neck to pull away. Sikowitz gagged out and began twisting his body, struggling with the killer. "Y-You can't do this to me. People…are counting on me!" He felt the killer swaying with him, starting to lose their own grasp. The person wasn't very powerful, but still strong enough to hold him back.

Just then he saw a leg sweep out, knocking the machine onto the floor. He would have to start over now! His heartbeat increased as he continued to try and scream. Air was leaving his lungs rapidly but his throat was closing tight. He could feel the wire cutting into his neck, stinging him.

"No!" Fear pulsed through his veins as he extended his right hand, reaching out into the air. Dots began to pop up in his vision as he clenched his teeth. "Y-You won't get me," he strained. His face began to turn purple and his cheeks started to expand.

After several seconds, his vision faded and he found himself collapsing to the floor. His body was numb and his consciousness was slowly drifting in and out as blood trickled along the sides of his neck. He could hear his attacker panting heavily and taking deep breaths in an attempt to retrieve theirs. "W-Why are you doing this?" He slurred. "How did you know the code? I don't understand…"

"You always were a favorite teacher," answered a strained voice with a mimicked rasp that he knew was fake from his own teachings. Vocal manipulation wasn't that old of lesson.

He felt his ankles being lifted from the ground and tucked between the attacker's armpits. His pain was like a fire on his body, and try as he might to fight it, he couldn't. His body was far too old and tired. "W-Who are you?" He coughed out and reached his arm for the passing doorframe.

His coughs increased but his consciousness was continuing to fade. He could hardly think straight any longer. "I didn't want to make this painful for you. You shouldn't have struggled."

"Not. Not going to get me…No. You can't…" Sikowitz started to open his eyes, seeing flashes of moonlight striking him. He tried to get a good look at his attacker, but they had some sort of burlap cloak over them. "I'm Hollywood Arts's drama instructor."

"They say you're everyone's favorite."

"You can't do this to me." His arms were still numb and his vision still had some blurs that he couldn't rid of. "You'll be caught. You won't get away with this."

"I don't intend to. I intend to die after this." He tried to place a proper voice with the words but it could be anyone. The only person he could think that it wasn't was David, because the attacker was nowhere near the same height or build as him. However, the killer was of similar height and build as Holly. To that regard, it was still undetermined since it even looked like Beck. "You'll be missed."

He was placed alongside Sinjin. His head fell towards the boy and his heart started to sink. His right arm all of a sudden flared with pain as his chest started to ache tremendously. He winced and moved his hand to his chest, coughing as he attempted to weep.

"Relax." His arms were moved over in similar fashion as Sinjin's, and his legs were straightened out. Sikowitz chose not to struggle since his heart was currently speeding off track.

"H-Help." He gasped. "I think-I think I'm having a heart attack." With that, the attacker picked up a silky pillow. His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to scream, only to be muffled by sudden darkness and the blocking of airflow. His legs kicked out violently as his heartbeat grew erratic.

He twisted his body until the killer sat on his waist. His lungs started to shrivel and he tried to gasp for air, muffling into the pillow. Sikowitz slammed his feet hard on the floor and tears drenched the edges of his beard as his heart exploded in his chest.

The man's eyes widened and his body fell limp once his heart stopped beating. The killer removed the pillow, slightly disappointed that the suffocation wasn't what got him. The attacker then covered Sikowitz's eyelids and guided them shut. Then they pinched the corners of his mouth and pulled them up into a tiny smile.

The killer left just as a rush of footsteps came into the room. They were all too late, the school's favorite instructor, Erwin Sikowitz was dead. Surely further accusations would fall to Beck, but at this point, it was in anyone's hands.

One thing was certain, he would be remembered for trying to get the school open and for his struggle with the killer. Even to the end, his devotion to the safety of his students took top priority. At the very least, he hoped to go out a hero, remembered solely for his efforts to save those that were trapped. He could rest his weary bones now, and leave the rest to Officer Vega.

* * *

No! Sikowitz! May you rest in peace.


	17. Losing Hope

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: Not a whole lot of time is actually taking place between the deaths, so bear in mind. Zander himself, Jade will be convinced to let go for help, and in total he's maybe there for about half an hour.

* * *

Chapter 17 (Losing Strength)

"Shit, Mr. Sikowitz!" Andre knelt down beside his teacher as Holly struggled to restrain a scream. She looked around frantically for anyone that wasn't there. Tori came running up, waving her arms and stating she couldn't find Beck or the girls. Her daughter then froze in terror as her eyes fell onto her beloved teacher's body.

"No!" Tori dropped beside Sikowitz and began shaking him, bawling and pleading for the man to wake. It broke Holly's heart that her daughter had to go through this so many times in one night, all the people Tori cared about, gone. "Please!" Tori hugged her teacher and dropped her head to his chest, weeping bitterly. Holly looked to her right to see David scratching at his forehead.

"I should have stayed with the man. I could have kept this from happening." His fist clenched and Holly scanned for signs of Beck. Their top suspect conveniently wasn't around whenever a death happened, but now she was concerned that she couldn't find Jade or Cat. The girls had been missing for nearly an hour, if not longer, she wasn't sure. David slipped his hand down his face and peered out at a doorway. "Has anyone seen Beck yet?" If the boy was smart, he would come nowhere near them.

Andre sneered and Tori looked up, tear streaks stained her cheeks. "I haven't seen him yet, but what if he's watching?" She looked over to the office and Holly cupped her hand over her mouth, realizing that Sikowitz was the only one that knew the code. Her heart snapped to a halt and she looked around anxiously. "Momma? What's the matter?"

"We're really stuck in here now, we can't open the school. Your friends are missing, and Beck's wandering around the school." Holly turned away and began moving in search of those missing, though she had no idea where to start. "I'm going to find Jade and Cat." Tori lifted her eyes to the ceiling and her lips fell into a frown. "They need to know about Mr. Sikowitz anyway." She didn't want the girls to suffer anymore, but at the least, it couldn't be hidden from them. "Besides, with Beck, I'm concerned they may have fallen into some sort of trouble."

"Okay Momma…let us know if you find them."

Up on the roof, Jade watched Cat turn the pitchfork in her hand. They were tempted to go back inside, but really didn't want to. As bored as they were, t was best to stay out here. "Do you really think Beck is doing it?" Cat asked in a near nonchalant tone. Jade raised an eyebrow as the girl leaned her head back against the bars. They were facing the door on the off chance Beck found them. "If you think about it…the way you described Sinjin makes no sense for him, and why would he kill off Robbie? They've had fights plenty of times."

"I don't know. To be honest, I'm not sure I want to know. If it's Beck doing all this, I guess I'd understand-but then I don't think I could. It would be like…why wasn't Trina enough for him? Why did he have to keep going? Paranoia?"

"It must be. But Billy, Greg, Tiffany and Shirley…he hardly ever spoke to them. What motive is there?"

She saw Cat's point, and it was enough to make her question everything as well. Bill would have made sense only if Beck was truly a killer by heart that got pissed off enough that the man intervened in a fight with his girlfriend that he killed him. Greg attacked him, but Beck didn't seem that filled with hatred. Tiffany and Shirley died in the same methodical manner as Trina, but did that mean he was responsible?

There was no hard hitting evidence, but she didn't doubt enough to think otherwise. The remaining survivors didn't seem to have anything to do with murder. David seemed pissed enough, but the man wouldn't kill Sinjin. Not to mention, the first person he'd go after if it was him, was Beck. She had too much respect for the man to believe him to be responsible.

"All I keep thinking is Beck, Beck, Beck…I can't think that any of the others would do this unless their minds have just snapped altogether." Though it was highly possible for that to happen. "So if it is Beck. What do we do? I mean, I guess I almost want it to be him." She rubbed her eye with the heel of her palm and exhaled softly as Cat glanced over with a frown.

"Why?"

"Because if it is him, he'll be arrested and I don't have to fear him. You know how many abused can't get away from their abusers? Even long after separation, I guess, the abuser can stalk…" She leaned back slowly and closed her eyes. "That's what I want to do. Counsel victims of abuse, of tragedy. Does that seem so odd for me?" Cat smiled softly and shook her head.

"No. I think it's perfect for you." Jade felt Cat reach over and squeeze her hand with reassurance. Her heart lifted and her eyelids slid open as her body relaxed. "Zander should be back soon, right?"

"Seems like he just left. It'll probably be a while, so I'm holding out until then."

They heard the doorknob rattle nearby. Jade gasped out and grabbed a bowling ball while Cat stood and pointed the pitchfork towards the door. Thinking fast, Jade locked the ball in front of her with her hands, bent her knee and held her foot on the ball, ready to push off if Beck came out that door.

The knob rattled again and the girls narrowed their eyes, but to their surprise when it opened, Tori stepped out. Both relaxed as Tori spread her arms wide and smiled at the two. "Hey guys, I didn't know you found a nice place out here!" Tori grinned delightedly for a minute, then frowned at the weapons they were holding. "What…why?"

"Sorry, we thought you might be Beck," Cat explained while lowering her weapon. Jade let the ball roll to her side and stood up as Tori looked over her shoulder.

"Beck? Yeah he's been missing a while." Jade could see tear streaks on Tori's face, indicative that the girl must have been continually weeping once again. "He's a monster, you know?" Tori walked over and sat down between the two girls. "He killed Sinjin, I just know it. Why is he doing all this?" Tori shook her head as Jade glanced down.

"He really is vile." She paused, realizing that they'd not yet seen Tori to tell her of their location on the roof. "Tori? How did you know we were up here?"

"I kind of guessed. I mean I knew you used to always come out on the roof, so I thought maybe you came up here."

"I don't remember ever revealing that."

"I saw you come up here a couple times." That explained it. It still surprised her, but then again it was nothing major to worry about. Tori sniffled and soon began to tremble. "He's not stopping. Beck keeps killing…" Who did he take this time? Jade and Cat exchanged worried looks as the girl began to crack up. "Mr. Sikowitz-he killed Mr. Sikowitz." Jade's eyes widened and Cat's hand flew to her mouth, muffling a scream.

"No!" Her heart stopped and her hand moved to her stomach as anger and rage shot through her. Beck adored Mr. Sikowitz, how the hell could the man possibly kill his favorite teacher. They all loved him! "I-I can't believe…why would he do this!"

"It's-it's okay," Tori tried to reassure herself and the girls, "He's happy now. He's in a better place." Happy? Did Sikowitz also die in the similar fashion as Sinjin had?

"Tori? How did he die? H-How was he positioned?" Her voice quivered as she fought back her own tears. The girl quietly described the body, whimpering at the memory. It was exactly like Sinjin. She narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Why is he changing up all of a sudden? It's like he's violent with the others but treating those victims with care?"

"Maybe it's a heaven-hell thing?" Cat suggested. "Violent deaths and deaths not positioned with care suggest entrapment in the afterlife while murdered victims given a respectable looking positioning are sent to heaven-almost like some sort of weird ritual."

"There's a lot of strange rituals and beliefs out there Cat, and nothing's known for sure. For example, they say that on a stage, looking into a mirror opens your soul up for the devil. I've never seen that to be true, but it's a superstition to say mirrors on stage are bad luck."

"Could be. This whole night is hell." Cat looked up to the sky and closed her eyes. "To think when all of this is over, people are only going to label it as another school tragedy-like a school shooting. No adult will get more than a brief mention on the news while all of us will be talked about for months, and the killer is just going to be labeled as some crazy mental patient…" Jade chuckled vainly and Tori raised an eyebrow at the two.

"School shooting? Beck doesn't seem to be a random killer, does he? Seems like this was just the perfect opportunity that he has everyone together, just so happens to be a school…"

"Yes, but America's government and media do not give a shit about the details," Jade muttered, "All they care about is: Was a gun used-even if it wasn't they'll find a way to place a gun on the scene. Hell, we've got a cop here! Was the killer a deranged maniac that just randomly chose to go ballistic? Maybe-maybe he's methodical and with a plan but they'll label him deranged and random. Were the victims random? School shooting, there you go."

Tori shifted uncomfortably and rolled her eyes, "I don't want to think that our tragedy would become some sort of government scheme to make political. Robbie didn't die for that, Trina didn't die for that, the others didn't die so that our hell could be turned into a political game!" She pounded her fist on the concrete and began to sob, startling both girls. "It's our hell, not a politician's scheme!"

"Relax, it's just conversation…" Jade looked over her shoulder and pursed her lips together. "I sent Zander to get help, so hopefully it won't be too much longer." She rubbed Tori's back and looked to the doorway, sighing out heavily. "God help us though…"

"I-I have to go." Tori rose up wiping her eyes and moving for the door. "I need to let momma and Dad know you guys are okay."

"All right Tori. You're going to come back up here, right?"

"I don't know. I want to be with momma and dad…You guys are safe up here?"

"We'll be okay…" The girls hugged Tori and watched as she left the rooftop. They turned to the bars and Jade breathed in deeply as she whispered for Zander to hurry back with help. "Too many people are being hurt-we need to stop Beck. We have weapons, Cat. We can take him."

"He has weapons too. Remember you scattered the sports stuff around in there? It's not just the others that have an option to fight back."

"Figures." She hadn't thought about it but the killer could use those weapons as well. "Maybe we should have given Tori the pitchfork for protection?" Cat looked down to the weapon in her hand and shook her head.

"No, I think we've got the best weapons should we see Beck."

"I guess…" She curled her fingers around the iron bars and looked up to the skies. A tear ran along her cheek while thinking back on the years of Mr. Sikowitz's classroom. Her heart ached for the man, and anger was beginning to rise up. She wanted to tear Beck apart, but yes, she was far too terrified to do so. "How do you defend yourself against an abusive boyfriend? How do you get out...I just don't know."

"It'll be okay. We'll find a way Jade. You have me, Zander, your father…Beck isn't going to hurt you."

"He's the whole reason I'm still up here, Cat. Up here while our friends are dying in there! I'm scared to death of him, more scared of him than I am of whoever-whatever is killing everyone. How the hell do I deal with that?"

Cat's only response was to give her a gentle hug. The hug was soothing and comforting to her, but it only temporarily took away her fear. She needed her dad, she wanted Zander to come back.

In the distance, they heard the familiar roar of a motorcycle tearing down the empty streets. Cat pulled away quickly and looked out at the street with Jade. They saw a headlight racing by the school with two people riding on it. "It's Sam's motorcycle!"

"Your roommate?"

"She must be looking for me. And that's Travis, he's the only one she lets drive her bike!" Jade's heart skipped as the motorcycle stopped by the building. Sam stepped off and removed her helmet, studying the school with a look of disappointment. "Sam! Sam!" Cat began to jump and wave, trying to get her friend's attention. Jade followed suit, but to her disappointment, Sam didn't appear to hear.

The girl narrowed her eyes at the building and looked to Travis. "The school's closed!" Sam called out over the terrible roar of the bike. "Let's keep searching, Cat has to be around somewhere. God, we can't declare her missing until tomorrow night-this is bullshit."

"No! No Sam, I'm up here! We're here! There's a killer inside-Sam!"

Jade's stomach clenched as she watched the girl get back on the bike. She slid down to her knees and her heart crashed down in despair. Cat slammed her palm on the bars, screaming out in anguish as the motorcycle raced off. Just like that, whatever hope had vanished.

* * *

That has to be an earthshattering feeling right there. Well do tell me your thoughts


	18. Eagle Down

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 18 (Eagle Down)

David crouched beside his wife, trembling like a mountain as he felt her pulse and gently caressed her hair. She was lying beside Sinjin with her arms folded over her chest, her eyes shut, and her lips tucked into a tiny smile. His face was long as rage slowly rose up his body. Never before had he felt like tearing apart his oath as a police officer and committing an act of murder, but losing Holly was worse than a knife to the heart after Trina's death. All he had now was Tori, and damn everything to hell if he lost her too.

He slowly rose to his feet and scanned the perimeter for signs of life. Upon discovering Holly, Andre ran off to find Beck. Tori ran to a restroom to cry over the loss of her mother. "I'm failing my job," he growled, "You're not going to take anymore lives Beck. I will not allow you to." There was fire in his soul as he stalked away in the night. He reached down to pick up a baseball bat, then cracked his neck to the right. How many times would he strike Beck? He had to question just how many hits would be appropriate. "You hear me Beck? You're finished once I find you! Finished!"

He should have killed the man long ago, but no, he had to be a good cop and not take out the one person who he suspected of murdering his daughter. Had he listened to his instincts, maybe none of this would have happened. Even still his instincts and judgment had been clouded most of the night.

It didn't matter now.

"He won't hide forever." They hadn't seen any sign of him since Sinjin's death, so he naturally had no idea where to begin looking. He looked back to his wife with a frown. She'd been so peaceful, but also incredibly sad seeming. There was a stray teardrop on her cheek, one that seemed oddly out of place for the location if Holly had been crying, but David thought little of it.

Hatred and lust for revenge was now running thick through his veins, and if he were not careful he would be at risk of losing himself entirely. As he stormed the premises like a raging bull, his mind could only play back the memories of his family. How had he failed them so completely? He always tried to be a good father, a good husband, so where the hell had he gone wrong?!

_"Daddy look at me!" Squealed his ten year old daughter, Trina. Trina struck a pose in her one piece bathing suit, holding onto a stick and pointing it towards a tree. "I'm just like you!" He laughed as she looked up to him with wide eyes so full of love._

_ "I don't think a tree qualifies as a villain, honey."_

_ "I know, but you told me a cop doesn't point their gun at people unless they attack. Right, Daddy? A good cop doesn't kill someone out of malice." David set the book he was reading down as his eldest climbed into his lap and began patting down the front of his shirt._

_ "That's right. A police officer always must maintain their calm." He pat her on the head and started to smile, "You'll make a great officer one day." _

_ "I hope so! I want to be just like you. I love you, Daddy…"_

Tears fell over his cheekbones as his jaw clenched tight and his heart began to pound. The grip on the bat relaxed a bit, but his anger was still on the rise. His forehead creased over as he stood still and looked over his shoulder, gazing into the darkness.

_Eight year old Tori coughed her older sister cradled her beside the pool. David ran up to them, anxious and fearful for his daughter's safety. "Tori!" Tori looked up weakly, her body damp and her hair drenched with water. He crouched beside her and took her into his arms. "What happened?"_

_ "She fell in over there," Trina pointed to the deep end of the pool. The elder sister was fully clothed, but soaking wet. Did she go in after Tori? "I went to get her. I remembered what you showed me about CPR, Daddy." His heart stopped as Tori began coughing._

_ "Oh god, Tori…" _

_ "What happened!" Holly screamed as she ran over to the pool. "David! Why weren't you watching them?!" Holly grabbed Tori away and cradled her in her arms. "My poor baby…my sweet angels…" She reached down and rubbed Trina's head. David blew out a shaky breath and moved his hand over his eyes._

_ "We may need to take out the pool," He muttered. "I'm not letting this happen again."_

As a result, he did get the pool taken out, but Tori never touched water again. She stayed right by Trina's side for the remainder of her life.

David swore on his life he'd always protect his family. He was a damned police officer, he had to protect them if nothing else! Always he'd been protective of them, no matter how busy he was with work, he'd be the one solid rock for his girls to fall back on and know that they were safe. No one would tear his family apart, but now somehow, one man succeeded in doing exactly that.

Beck would find out soon, however, that this was not his first fight. If they made it out, it certainly wouldn't be his last.

_"I'm sorry!" Danny shouted as David shoved him back against a wall. He thought he'd seen the last of this man years ago. He was the one who dated not only Trina, but Tori, then cheated with some other woman. Now he was back and trying to get between Tori and her friend?_

_ No, he wasn't going to allow that. He grabbed Danny's shirt and hoisted him up, glaring into the man's eyes. "You will stay away from my family. Do I make myself clear?" Danny turned his head, shivering as his blood ran down his face. David shook him, then slammed his knee into Danny's stomach, causing the man to spit up some blood and gasp out for air. "I said, do I make myself clear?!"_

_ "Y-Yes sir!" Danny whimpered and David threw him onto the ground, crouching low and speaking with a dark, menacing tone. His fingers clasped the man's hair and he yanked his head up, flexing his arm._

_ "My daughters are my life, if anyone fucks with them, I will fuck that person up. Now if a man chooses to enter their life, that's one thing, but if that man hurts my daughter in any way…then they find out just where that line is that separates a father and family man from a police officer. That being said, as a cop I do know several key ways to take a man out. So…kindly…" He leaned close to Danny's ear and raised his voice to a booming echo. "Stay the fuck away from my family!" _

David closed his eyes, exhaling slowly as he attempted to calm down. His eyelids moved up halfway and he started to turn. He could hear footsteps nearby but he couldn't see anyone. "Beck? If that's you, there's no sense in hiding. I will find you, and I will kill you. I'm done playing good cop, my badge is off. Kill my daughter, kill my wife, send my youngest spiraling into depression…you're about to meet the blunt end of a bat." He narrowed his eyes at the footsteps ceased.

His nostrils flared out as the fire in him flared in greater intensity. His instinct however told him to turn, but just as he started to, a wire flew over his face and gripped his neck. He gasped out and dropped the bat as his hands flew to the wire.

He coughed out and tightened his muscles, freezing as the wire constricted around his jugulars, cutting off his brain supply. "I…" He started to twist as his muscles flexed. "Don't." Blood started to appear around the wires. His eyes narrowed and his chest expanded. "-Think so!" With that, he twisted around and flung himself forward, sending his attacker flying overhead and into a nearby wall.

David pat his hand on his neck then pulled away to see the small amount of blood on him. It would take a lot more than that to kill him. The officer grabbed the bat and twirled it dangerously in the air. "Okay Beck, you want to play hardball we'll go hardball." The killer pushed up and looked over as he charged with the bat in the air. He swung it down, but the attacker rolled off to the side.

His neck continued to sting, despite the wire being gone. He touched is neck again and cracked it to the right, there was a burning sensation pouring through is blood like venom. His body started to sweat and his temperature began to rise. "What the hell?" He watched his attacker reach into their cloak and pull out a closed flask containing a strange colored chemical. "Is that…poison? Acid? What is that?" They soaked the wire in something?

Before he could react, the attacker reached back into the cloak and flung powder at his face. His eyes burned and he staggered back, screaming out painfully. His bat was pulled away from him, then a powerful blow struck him in the back of his knees. He heard a loud crack and crashed towards the ground, clutching his burning eyes.

"I didn't want it to be painful," Answered a garbled voice, "I knew I couldn't physically fight you…even if I was strong enough..." He felt bony fingers grab his jaw, forcing his mouth open. The poisonous fluid drifted into his mouth and worked its way down his throat. His stomach began to rumble as the poison attacked his insides.

"N-No! You…" The attacker proceeded to remove their hood, presumingly due to sweat, and rose up. David's eyes were too blurred to see, and he was slowly beginning to grow blind. All he could see was brown hair, which he associated with Beck. "If you touch my daughter I swear to god…"

The attacker grabbed his ankles and began to slowly drag him to where Holly and the others were. After his body was positioned like the others, the killer waited for his life to fade. "It won't be long now."

"At least tell me why you've changed the way you were killing…"

"It varies from person." A weak groan left his lips, and consciousness faded away. His fight was gone.

* * *

Mr. Vega's gone, and apparently so is Holly. There isn't much left. Ah that reminds me, I guess David does fit a horror stereotype after all: The cop on the scene usually dies.


	19. Those Who Remain

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 19 (Those who Remain)

Jade and Cat moved back into the building in order to try and alert the others that help was on the way. There was nothing to confirm that Zander made contact with the police, but just the fact that he'd gone to them was enough to want to send an alert out to the others.

The air was dreary and dull, bringing only a disturbing sensation over the friends. "I honestly think staying on the roof is a better idea," Cat muttered. They didn't bring their stash of weapons down, save a baseball bat. Jade shook her head and bounced the bat on her shoulder.

"If we stay up there, then if help arrives, they may not realize that we are there." There wasn't much reason for them to both be running the risk of danger, but working in doubles was still best. Especially with Beck running about, and Jade was still considering him not to be the killer, but had no solid evidence of anyone else being involved. "Plus we need to find Mr. Vega and let him know what's going on."

They heard a rumbling nearby and turned to see Andre walking by himself. Cat called out to him and he turned, surprised to see them. His tense muscles relaxed and he hurried over to them. "I'm glad to see you two. I've been looking all over for Beck, but haven't seen him anywhere. Do you know where Tori is?"

"She was just up on the roof," Cat replied. "We've been hiding out on the roof." Andre lifted his eyebrows. "It is safer up there, maybe a better idea to wait up there for help." Cat leaned towards the right and folded her arms. "So you don't know where Beck is?" This was both a good and bad sign, and Jade was already well suspicious.

"Have there been any more deaths? If Beck's the one doing all this, then he's probably trying to lay low." She bounced the bat on her shoulder, narrowing her eyes. "I'm ready for him if he tries anything."

"I don't know, I've been focusing on trying to find the bastard. I haven't seen anyone else." Andre took in a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. "Man I'm scared. I want to go home!

"We all do." Jade looked around the corner and pressed her lips together as she scanned the empty corridor. She could hear Andre's anxious breathing, to which she rolled her eyes. "Cat? Would you take him to the roof or something? Get him a good weapon. Or maybe just leave him to be lookout."

"Sure," Cat replied, "Let's go, Andre."

Glancing back, she thought about going with them, but wanted to finish out her investigation first. Seeing the all clear, Jade turned the corner and moved towards the front area. With each passing step she grew colder, feeling tensions in the air growing thicker.

Just as every clichéd horror movie she'd seen in her life, it was far too silent, save for the pounding of her heart. Right now her fears weren't simply running into Beck, but finding Tori as one of the killer's victims, but the sinking sensation inside told her she'd find something worse.

Her muscles tensed as the smell of death overwhelmed her. "Beck! If you're out there…" She descended into the locker area where she'd seen Sinjin. What she found filled her with a deep sense of hopelessness. As her eyes fell onto the body of Mr. Vega and his wife, her entire world started to collapse. "N-No!" She rushed to his side, kneeling down and looking him over, trembling with fear. Her hand clutched her chest while a heavy feeling tore through her.

David couldn't be dead! He was the hero, he was the one that would get them all out of here. Tears burned from her eyes as her throat clouded and constricted, holding her from being able to scream. She let the bat fall to the ground and buried her face into her hands, weeping over the man.

Never had she gotten the chance to tell him how much she truly looked up to him, or how inspirational he was to her. A good friend of her father's, she would often be able to seek advice from him in the past. Losing David was the equivalent of losing a beloved uncle.

Her fists clenched and she slowly rose to her feet, fighting the shiver running down her body. "Whoever did this to you, to your wife, I'm going to stop them if I find them." She was determined as well to get out alive, but she wasn't going to do it by hiding. "I won't lose myself Mr. Vega, I'll be strong like you…" Jade brushed away her tears and took a deep breath, trying her best to calm her frayed nerves. "I'll survive, I promise. I'm leaving this damn school when I get out, though…" She said a small prayer for the deceased and turned to leave.

She had to find Tori, to console the girl, especially if she didn't know her mother and father were victims. The more she walked, the colder she became. Her grief had yet to leave, but she wasn't so concerned now. What she was concerned about was that Beck and Tori hadn't found each other, because that could only mean someone would likely die.

At the office, she studied the shattered windows with a heavy heart. Sikowitz must have gotten in. Judging from the blood on one of the window fragments, and a very small blood streak, she deduced this to be where the man fell. Her eyes clenched shut and her body began to feel with anger and sorrow. "Why? Why is this happening to us? What did he ever do other than teach us?"

"Jade?" Her body stiffened and her eyes flew open. Beck's voice poisoned her ears, threatening to destroy her. She looked over her shoulder, then turned, staggering back when she saw him looking her over. "Jade I've been worried."

He stepped forward and she extended her hand. "Stay back!" He appeared visibly shaken, and in grieving as well. "I know what you've been doing!"

"Jade, it's not even me! Why would I kill any of them? Robbie? Mr. Sikowitz?" His eyes lit up with anger at her accusations. Jade began to panic, she wanted to fight him but now she was too scared to even strike. "I'm sick of everyone accusing _me_. I've been off looking for you and that stupid guy that's outside." She moved her hand to her chest and lifted her eyebrows.

"Zander? No, you leave him alone."

"What?" Beck leaned back chuckling softly. "You've got to be shitting me right? What do I care about him?" She narrowed her eyes and started to spout off at him, not thinking about her choice of wording.

"Because I still love him, he treats me right and is more of a man than you'll ever be." Beck's face started to fall and a dull expression came over him. "In fact, me and you? We're through. I'm going to stand up for myself, I'm not taking your abuse anymore!" His eyes widened tremendously as she slammed her foot on the ground, roaring out her anger.

A tremendous fear came over her as silence surrounded them. Beck continued to stare into her eyes, slowly increasing in his own anger. "You're not breaking up with me, you can't break up with me. You'll only come crawling back, anyway." He reached out, taking a slow step forward.

"Not this time. You're a killer, and I don't date murderers." Her eyes flew towards the bodies and her nostrils flared out. "And I'm not just talking about Trina's death."

"Goddamn it Jade, I am not a killer!" He lunged for her, causing her to jump back in fright. Her left ankle twisted and she fell back, screaming as her body collided with the glass fragments on the ground. Beck froze, his eyes widening. "Oh god! I'm sorry!"

Jade moaned and slowly pushed herself up, slowly shaking her head. "No. No you're not. You're never sorry." She swept the fragments from her body, shuddering at the blood on her arms. Beck reached out with a tentative gesture, but she quickly brushed his hand away. "Don't touch me! I'm not taking this anymore!"

"Jade-"

Thinking fast, she grabbed her bat and swung it around, slamming it hard into his side while screaming out. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, her chest heaved and her eyes grew narrow as Beck doubled over. "Leave me alone, bastard. We're done, and I _will_ tell the cops everything about you!"

"Damn bitch," he strained to speak between each sudden gasp as he clutched his side to recover. "When I get up. You're in for it!"

"Whatever. Zander's gone to get help, so the cops will be here soon. You can't kill anyone else." She turned away from him in disgust and walked quickly away from him. Still she feared him, and as much as she wanted to tear him apart with the bat in her hands, she knew it wouldn't be right.

At least this way, she could get a running start on him, and it felt good. She was able to hold her head high and for the first time, shrug off his verbal assault, as he was cussing her off from behind.

At the door to the stairs ascending to the roof, Andre waited around for Cat. She'd gone off, feeling anxious and nervous about having left Jade on her own. She pointed him to the roof and left to go back for Jade, only now he was the one alone.

The moonlight glinted off his sweat covered body and his heart pounded heavily. All while with Cat, he'd felt a pair of eyes burning in on him. "M-Maybe I should find Tori. She's wandering all by herself too…" At least he would be able to help her survive. Andre started to walk off, still trembling with such force that he thought California was having another earthquake.

He simply did not want to be alone as he'd been for most of the night. "Tori? Are you anywhere in this school?" Each word came out in a nervous shudder. Did the killer find her? Was she alive? He lied when he said he didn't know who was dead, he'd stumbled onto Mr. Vega's body shortly before Jade and Cat, so he was still recovering from the hopeless feeling that came with that discovery. _"Maybe I should just go up to the ceiling."_

Everything in him told him to run, to turn back, but for some reason beyond his own knowledge, he didn't want to listen to that intuition. "Tori!" He called out her name again. "If you're alive, answer me. Jade? Beck? Cat? Where are you guys!" Each step he took, the intensity of his fear grew, for each step could very well be his last.

"Tori, I promise I'll do what I can to keep you from Beck or whatever maniac's out there…We need to all get together and get out of here alive." He rounded the corner and froze. His eyes widened as he found himself standing before the cloaked figure, staring them directly in the eyes. "Oh god."

His trembling grew worse as his eyes darted to the silver blade in their hand. Before he could react, that blade was pushed forward, slicing across him. Blood splashed out with his organs. "N-N-No." Pain swept over him as his knees buckled and his head bowed towards his disembowelment.

The attacker then struck him against the head, sending his body to the ground. A soft moan left his lips as his vision began to slowly fade away. "You should have gone to the roof," the killer snarled. "I would have still found you."

* * *

Andre's dead, now for Tori, Beck, Jade, and Cat. Hopefully help arrives soon.


	20. The Blood Red Herring

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: Someone didn't read my authornote stating this story only had a couple chapters left. Anon reviewer just got me to upload this a little early, due to some mild annoyance. This _is_ the chapter where the killer will be revealed. But first, how shall I explain psychology? Trauma and tragedies, the greater they are usually end with a psychological trauma, usually a personality disorder that occurs. whether it is Schizophrenia or something else. For example, let's use the mentality Tori has right now. She was right beneath Trina when the woman (who meant the world to her, so literally speaking her world came crashing down...bad analogy though) fell just a few inches from her. Also the 'why' the killer is doing this _is_ a revenge on anyone in the room-but there's a more mentally screwed up reason for the _other _kills that have been happening. You will be getting into the killer's mindset right here.

* * *

Chapter 20 (Blood Red Herring)

Beck adjusted his belt as he walked around the corner, agitated and concerned. His body was in pain from the blow Jade had given him, possibly a well-deserved strike. He couldn't fault her for thinking what everyone else had. What was truly irritating, as well as astonishing was everyone's blatant refusal to listen to him! "Jade, where did you go? You know you shouldn't be running off on your own."

Had he messed up? Sure, he knew he wasn't the best man, and Jade likely would choose someone like Zander over him. He wanted to be able to control her, to keep her at his side, but he was starting to see more and more that he couldn't do it. "There is a fucking killer out there, so if you would _please_ get over here so we can at least be in the same place."

Tori was gone, Andre was missing, Cat was nowhere in sight, and he knew everyone else was dead. It was disturbing to see all of them laying there as if they were asleep, but even worse was the death of his friends, of his mentor. Mr. Sikowitz taught him everything he knew, and now the man was gone. A flickering star that would never shine again, and why, just why did he have to die? Why were all these deaths happening?

"Trina…" Her name fell from his lips in a soft breath. He hadn't meant to kill her, but it didn't make things any better. He wanted to hurt her, to scare her, though the woman wouldn't have shut up anyway. Certainly he hadn't anticipated Trina's death in front of Tori, that must have screwed Tori's mentality up so badly that she just had an eternally crazed look in her eyes. This night had to be bad on her, with everyone she knows dropping like flies. It was a bad way to word it, but he could think of no other descriptive term for it.

Now David's death, that had been a shock to see. With as powerful as the man looked, Beck never thought for a minute that a skilled police officer could be taken out. He didn't even have major wounds, implying not much of a fight took place. There had to be a reason the killer was passive to some while violent to others. What was their belief system?

Did he care? Sure, but there was also the fact that everyone was placing blame onto him that was pissing him off more than anything. "Sure, I'm the one killing everyone," he rolled his eyes and spoke with a bitter tone, "Because I wanted Sikowitz and my friend dead." What did this person want?

Or was it him? In his paranoia, maybe his guilt over having murdered Trina he developed a split personality. Was it possible?

A loud thumping sound echoed in the hallway and his brow furrowed as his once fluffy hair lay clinging to the sweat on his neck. His chest heaved as he jumped for the wall, pressing his back firmly against it. _"What was that?"_

He moved his head around the corner to peek around. When he saw Andre on the ground with a cloaked person hunched over him, his eyes began to enlarge. "Andre!" The figure jolted upright and his hand flew to his mouth as he swung back out of view. "Shit!"

Beck felt a small bead of sweat trickle down the side of his face. The faint sounds of footsteps trailed towards him, but then, he figured it could simply be his own heart.

_"Andre…" _His eyes clenched shut as his muscles tightened._ "Finally though, I meet the real killer."_ But who was it? Everyone was dead now, save for Jade, Cat or Tori. If it wasn't one of them, then who could it be?

His eyes flew towards a nearby window where he saw the killer's reflection. The figure stopped next to the wall and was pulling a blade up. His face scrunched and he threw his arms upright, curling down as he barreled out of the way in time for the killer to stab the wall. Beck then twisted himself around and took a step backwards, glaring out as the killer casually walked around the corner. He pointed an angry finger and bellowed out in a deep, angry voice. "You have made my night a living fucking hell." The hooded figure turned its head towards the right, causing him to scoff. "You know, ripping off the guy from Scream is pathetic."

"I wasn't going for that," the killer replied. "This was the only thing I could find on short notice." Beck growled vehemently and clenched his fists tight.

"I have only killed _one_ person. You've been framing me for every one of your kills, so fucking cut it out. You're driving me insane!"

"You're not insane, you're just a demon. An abusive demon who doesn't know how to keep his hands off his girlfriend…"

Beck scoffed and switched his eyes to the floor, spotting a bowling ball. "Whatever." He continued to step backwards while the killer begun a slow advance. "Why the fuck are you killing everyone? Why would you kill Mr. and Mrs. Vega? Or Mr. Sikowitz? Hell, even Sinjin-"

"Happiness. I wanted them to be happy. I was told that if I killed them, we could all be together in the afterlife and they'd be happy again. So long as their deaths are not violent and bodies positioned a certain way they'll be saved. Then those responsible for Trina's death-I am to kill them violently so they burn in hell." Beck flinched. A vein popped out of his neck and his lips stretched into a dangerous sneer.

"Then they're dying for nothing." The killer's hand twitched. Beck's throat vibrated out a growl as he slid his right leg backwards some. They all died because of him. Deaths that were undeserved, because he killed someone. "You've become crazy, so I'm going to take you out here and now."

"They did not die for nothing. They died for dishonesty."

He'd finally had enough of this. He knew he was an asshole, but he didn't want all these deaths on him. "Fuck that, they were all innocent! You want to know who killed Trina?! I did!" He jerked his thumb to his chest and growled angrily. "I don't know what happened to your mentality, maybe you've gone crazy or something, but I _will_ take you out. For them, if nothing else!" The killer was trembling, as finally hearing the one sole cause for the death of someone so important to them.

"You're the one. You're the reason for the unhappiness, for the voices and the darkness." The knife flipped in the killer's hand. Beck watched the blood drip from the tip, landing down onto the ground. He could almost hear Andre crying out for help. "Even with your death, my work is unfinished, but killing you will be…a good death." He flexed his tendons and leg muscles as the killer began to charge.

"Unfinished?"

"Yes. I will take my life, but there are two more people I want with me when I die. I've killed those I love and gave them ritualistic deaths because I want them with me..." the killer snickered. "We'll all be together in the afterlife, happy and together without pain! No more pain, no more suffering, no more crying and screaming."

"Fuck that, and fuck you, you crazy bitch. Nobody else dies!" With a heavy kick, he struck the bowling ball and sent it rolling towards the killer, striking the person's left foot. The killer screamed out and fell onto the floor, her long brown hair flew out of the hood, but still concealed her face. Though Beck knew who it was, and it troubled him deeply. "I have nothing more to say to you, but I'm not letting you get up."

He lunged for the killer, slamming his palm down on the wrist holding the knife. His right fist collided with her head, then he quickly reached for the knife. She flicked her wrist upwards, slashing the blade up and into his palm.

Beck let out a pained howl and jumped back up, clutching his wrist as blood started to drain out. He watched her rise up, her shoulders and chest heaving as she glared in his direction. "Bad idea."

"You're not taking me down." He rushed her, grabbing her shoulders and pinning her hard against the wall. She let out a yelp and bowed her head. He tightened his fist and struck her multiple times, with each strike steadily increasing in strength. "The only one burning in hell is you!"

"We will see. So easy for you to strike a woman, isn't it Beck?"

Beck saw her wrist begin to turn, so he leaned his stomach back in time to avoid a stabbing motion to his gut. She sliced upwards, and the tip dug into his sternum. As pain shot through him, he bared his teeth and flung her to the right. As she rolled across the floor, he lifted a finger and narrowed his eyes. "I never said it was easy. Until this night, I never _physically struck_ Jade! Verbal assaults I'll admit to, and maybe I've pinned her pushed her, but I have never _hit_ her."

"As if that makes it any better." He watched her push herself to her elbows, then reach for a nearby bat. Thinking fast, he charged forward and kicked the bat away from her. "Shit."

"You're not getting the jump on me." He grabbed her shoulders and flipped her onto her back, then reached for the blade in her hand once more. He grabbed for her hand, but she twisted the blade upright, causing him to clamp his uninjured hand onto the blade. He let out a painful grunt, but kept his hold, realizing that he needed to first take this weapon from her.

"Quit making bad choices." His eyes flew to her other arm just as she brought it up and slammed it down onto his wrist. His hand fell back, with the blade slicing off his middle and ring fingers at the knuckles, causing a violent scream to leave his lips. The killer then brought her leg up and shot it forward, striking him hard in his chest. Beck crashed into the lockers, wincing as his entire body vibrated.

"Goddamn you…." His fingers wrapped around his wrist and his eyes fixated on the blood oozing from his stumps. A whimper fell from his lips as the killer started to rise up from the ground. "Goddamn you!"

His rage flourished, but so did his sense of hopelessness. He couldn't fight, his body was tired and blood loss was becoming an issue for him. Quitting was not an option, however. Fighting through the pain, Beck readied is other hand, wincing as his fingers brushed against the gash in his palm.

He charged the killer, breathing heavily as he threw the punch. She sidestepped him and brought the blade up, slicing along his forearm. The smell of blood was as nauseating as the sting of his wound was great. He twisted around, clutching his arm and whimpering.

He had to get the knife away from her, but how? Even with a limp, she'd catch him if he tried to run. He'd rather die fighting than to go down a coward that ran away. "You're stronger than I thought you'd be, Beck. But then, I didn't expect you to see me and fight back."

"S-Shut up!"

His body began to pale as his vision started to blur. His words slurred together and his movements were beginning to slow. Beck shook himself, trying to keep awake. There was no way in hell he was letting this killer live. "I'm not surprised you're still fighting."

He puffed his cheeks out and growled. His hair fell before his dark eyes as he stared down the approaching killer. He studied the knife, then looked for any sort of opening. "Who the fuck told you that you had to kill everyone to be happy or to bring them happiness? Huh?! Who the _fuck_ told you that you had to kill for revenge? Would Trina want that? Would she?!"

"It may not be Trina…it was a voice, a spirit."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Should have guessed. A demon is telling you to kill people."

"You don't know anything! You don't deserve to live!"

"Sikowitz." He staggered forward, swaying sideways. "Andre, Robbie. Mr. and Mrs. Vega, Sinjin…they didn't deserve to die. None of them did."

"It's the only way to bring them peace! When I'm done I'm going to be with them all in the afterlife, happy again! At peace again!"

"Fuck that. Greg, Billy, Tiffany, Shirley-they didn't deserve it." He chuckled vainly and closed his eyes while flaring his nostrils. "Even _Trina_ didn't deserve to die, I'll admit it. There's only one person here that deserves to die more than I do, however, and that's the person killing everyone off…" His eyes shot open and he let out a loud roar as he charged her. To his amazement, since she was now physically stronger than he was due to his delirious state, she slammed him up against the lockers, glaring back with her wild and crazy eyes. "Fuck you…I tried to stop…" He'd lost far too much blood to continue fighting.

She let out a final cry and began plunging the knife into his stomach. With each strike, he coughed up painfully, spewing blood from his lips. Behind her, he saw Cat watching with wide, fearful eyes. With the last ounce of strength he had, he lifted his hand up and gripped the back of her hood, then pulled it back.

The killer breathed heavily on the thirteenth stab, watching as he remained standing. His chin fell, touching his chest as blood soaked his shirt, pants, and stained the floor and lockers. With one final, crazed scream, she swept the blade across his throat, digging deep into his neck.

She took a step back as Beck fell to the floor, spreading his arm out into a cross-like pose. His eyes remained open, to gaze out forever as he felt death's cold sting. The killer's rage was not complete however, and in one final motion she grabbed the bowling ball from the ground and started to lift it above his head, ready to bring it down upon his skull.

"T-Tori!" Cat screamed out, causing her to freeze. Her eyes drifted over and the ball fell from her grasp, crashing into the tile floor and rolling away. Tori twitched once her eyes met Cat's.

"Don't run, Cat…please don't run…"

* * *

Run. Now there you have it, the killer, the why and now Beck's had his final moment. Yes, _sane_ Tori would never kill off Sinjin, her parents or even Sikowitz. She didn't know who the killer of Trina was so she was killing everyone that had been in the room, but as far as her parents and Sinjin go (and she wants her two best friends) she's gone insane and wants them to all be with her after she takes her own life. *sigh* anyway, here you are. There are three chapters after this. I won't tell you how the ending of my very first ever novel went since you'll know how this story's going to end, but I will say it's going pretty close to the same way with the final person standing besides the main (the best friend) staring down the killer...


	21. The Deadly Chase

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N: Two chapters left and this one's in Tori's perspective for two reasons, to get you into her mind and also that I can't put it in Cat's perspective for a very specific reason.

* * *

Chapter 21 (The Deadly Chase)

_"He's dead," _the voice screeched in Tori's head, _"The demon is dead." _ She advanced upon Cat, who was backing away from her. She didn't want to harm anyone. _"She's seen you. If you kill her like the others she'll be happy. Peace. At peace.  
_At first the demon came to her in the form of Trina, broken up and distorted, telling her the way to be happy again was to avenge her. Then it told her to bring peace to the loved ones by taking their lives, and with them, hers so that they could all be together again in the afterlife.

"Cat." She extended her hand as the terrified woman began to turn. "Cat please."

"Stay away from me." Tori's head ached and her heart began to pound. She didn't want to be challenged, she didn't want this conflict. "You've gone insane. Tori, we could have helped you."

"Helped? They killed my sister. They deserved what they got, but it's over now. Or it will be." Tori clenched her eyes, struggling with the friendship she had. She wanted to give Cat and Jade that same happiness that she was giving the others. "Just two more, then I can be free." Cat's eyes began to enlarge as Tori reached for her hood.

_ Kill her too. Do the ritual and she will be with you and your family._

The spirit, or demon, she was not sure what the voice was, had glowering red eyes that pierced through the cloud of smoke that was her darkened mind. Tori lifted her knife and started to smile as the crazed look returned to her eyes. "Don't run Cat, I'm going to make it quick." She slicked her finger over the blade, sweeping off Beck's blood. "It has to be this way."

"No it doesn't." Cat's words fell to deaf ears. Tori lunged forward, sweeping the blade through the air. Her movement was slowed as she was still exhausted from the fight with Beck. Cat searched the area with her eyes and immediately dove towards a bat. Tori paused as the girl aimed the bat towards her, growling angrily. "Don't take another step Tori. I don't want to fight you."

"You don't have to, just let me do this. It's the only way to bring peace to everyone."

"What you're doing is wrong. We can get help. Jade's dad can help you."

"I don't _need _help!" This one wouldn't listen to reason, how did she not figure this to be the only way? Did Cat not wish to understand? Tori closed her eyes, whispering as her head pounded once more to the screeching in her head. "I will make you understand." Tori moved forward and Cat swung the bat in the air, warning her away by sweeping it high in the air. Tori staggered back a step and narrowed her eyes.

Cat's chest expanded and her hands tensed around the handle of the bat. "I said 'not another step'." She frowned at her friend and extended her arms. The screeching returned to her head, causing a vein to pulsate in her forehead due to the pain.

"Please, I want all of us to be together. This is the only way."

"Next time, I won't miss." Why would Cat attack her? Weren't they friends? What had she done to deserve the panicked and angry look in the girl's eyes?

"I haven't done anything wrong."

"I heard what you and Beck were talking about. H-How could you?! To think you even framed him. You killed your own family."

"So we could be a family with Trina again, don' t you see? Sinjin gets to be with Trina and his baby, Sikowitz can forever teach us, and we can all be _together_ without pain and suffering. Beck won't hurt Jade anymore…no one has to hurt anymore…"

"You…You locked us in? How?"

"I got the access code from Sinjin." It hadn't been difficult, and it was some time ago really. During casual conversation, she brought it up when Eikner set the thing up. Sinjin was talking about it with Trina, and she asked about how anyone would get out if they got stuck. Coincidentally she remembered that code for tonight. "It was a long time ago, though." She took one step forward, and Cat followed up by moving back another step. "Thank you for not running though." The girl was probably just trying to figure out where to go. "Ever since Trina pulled me from the water when I was a kid, she's been the only one I ever knew. Without her, I'm just lost. I'm trying to make my way to her, but I needed my friends and family."

"Water?" Cat's eyebrow rose and her chest deflated. "Right…You almost drowned."

Tears welled up in Tori's eyes and her hand shot up to her throbbing head as a moan fell from her lips. She had to hurry, she had to finish the job. "Yes. That's why I hate water…Cat, I have to hurry." The spirit was growing impatient, and its lust for blood was on the high rise. "If you refuse me, then I won't have a choice."

"Won't? Come on, Tori! Trina wouldn't want this!"

"I have to do this!"

"You don't have to do anything!" Cat turned around and started to run, much to Tori's annoyance. The girl followed after her, screaming for Cat to slow down. Her ankle was still sore from the bowling ball incident, but she tried her best to ignore the scorching pain.

She looked up to see Cat's red hair trailing around a corner. As she made her way around, she didn't have much time to react to the visual of a bat flying towards her, but upon instinct she ducked down in time to avoid being struck. She thrust her knife forward, missing Cat's stomach, but scratching her underarm. Cat yelped and continued to run.

As she followed, she was questioning whether the run was random or if Cat was headed somewhere in particular. Her breathing grew into labored pants while her muscles became increasingly sore.

Cat looked over her shoulder and curled her lip into a smirk, "You haven't given your body time to rest all night! Every athlete knows you have to give your body time to rest"

"You're making this harder than it has to be!" She sucked in a deep breath as her lungs flared up. Maybe she had miscalculated. She expected brutish strength when it came to her father and Beck, most of the men she wanted to take by surprise, and she half expected Jade to be a fighter. Cat, however, she expected would freeze up and be too terrified, but even still, she wouldn't have expected the girl to run so fast. "Slow down!"

"Why should I? Your sister's not the only one that ran track, you know!" Tori whined as Cat rounded another corner. Tori clenched her fists and began to pick up the pace, racing as fast as she could to catch up. When she saw Cat jump over a golf club, she approached and grabbed it up.

Soon they made their way into a long hallway, and Cat was finally running in a straight line. To this advantage, Tori threw the club. Cat looked back just in time for the club to knick her in the back of her legs, and for the handle to strike her head, forcing her down to her knees.

Tori slowed to a walk while Cat pushed herself up with her hands and rubbed her head, moaning in pain. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, Cat." She lifted the blade up and Cat's eyes widened. When she brought the knife down, the girl swayed to the side, but screamed out as the edge of the knife sliced her side. It wasn't a deep cut, but at least it was a wound that would slow Cat down. "Hold still…I want to make this quick."

"Leave me alone!" Cat stood up, holding her side and whimpering as blood seeped through her fingers. Tori's heart broke as her friend started to back away. "If you can't see how wrong this is, then you're a lost cause."

"Don't. Please. We're friends…"

"Not anymore." Like a knife Cat's words pierced her. Her body trembled as a wave of shock overcame her. Her head began to ache once more and Cat took off during this moment of hesitation.

_After her…Just kill her, she doesn't need to be with us._

She swept away a tear, watching as Cat struggled with her wound. Indeed it slowed her run, the girl had to be in a great deal of pain. "Why couldn't you see things my way?"

She followed Cat to the gymnasium, then the pool. She was cornered now. Cat stopped at the edge and turned around, staring with wide, frantic eyes at Tori. "Stay back, Tori!" Sweat was dripping down Cat's face and her breaths were heavy.

"I just wanted things to be peaceful. Now I have to kill you a different way." Cat narrowed her eyes and looked down to her bloody hand. Tori took this time to charge and swing her blade. Cat's head flew up with her arms. Tori felt a powerful shoving motion at her chest and fell away from Cat, her blade came down and nicked the girl's shoulder as Cat fell screaming into the deep end of the pool.

Tori pushed herself up, gasping out her breaths. Her eyes moved to where Cat fell in, but she couldn't see the girl. Cat wasn't resurfacing, and blood was obscuring the once clear waters.

Her hands tentatively grabbed the edge and she hovered over the waters, whimpering as she flashed back to her near death experience as a child. She clenched her eyes and slid away, trembling fearfully.

Bubbles rose up to the surface and Tori's hand moved to her chest. Was Cat dead? Had the girl drowned? She stood up and pulled her hood back over her head.

_Water is bad, stay away from the water, lest you end up like that girl._

She couldn't reposition Cat's body, she couldn't do the ritual now. How would this affect things in the afterlife? Teardrops fell to the concrete and Tori moved her hand to her pounding heart.

If she went in to confirm Cat's demise, she'd surely drown. She'd just have to have faith that the death was successful. "I wish there was another way Cat, I really do."

_One more! One more!_

She clutched her head, whimpering painfully at the ranting thoughts that assaulted her. It was time to forget Cat and move onward. She didn't know how much time was left before the school opened up again, but she had to finish the job.

Tori began to leave the pool area, her muscles were still sore and her lungs were on fire. Maybe Cat was right, she should rest her body before doing anything else. Yet, she wanted to finish everything as quickly as possible, she had very little time left as far as she was concerned.

_Before sunrise, do it now or you won't be able to have your friend._

She wanted to give her best friend peace most of all, considering how much pain Beck had put Jade in. With a gentle smile, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Don't worry Jade, soon your pain will end too…and you'll be happy too with my family and our friends. Beck won't be there, he'll be in hell…"

Standing in the doorway, she glanced one final time at the pool. Her heart was breaking for Cat. "I don't know if Cat will be with us or not, but that's okay. All that matters is we'll all be one big family in Heaven. No more pain, no more sadness, no more suffering…"

* * *

Let's play as game and see how much you remember from before that was revealed about Cat. How many of you think she didn't mean to get cornered at the pool's deep end and how many of you think she meant to? Well either way, back to Jade. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter.


	22. To Live or to Die

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 22 (To Live or Die)

Jade crept through the halls with an eerie feeling overtaking her. For the first time in the entire night she truly felt as if she were alone in these halls. Her initial thought was to go back to the roof where Andre and Cat ought to be, but at the same time, she just wanted to find any survivors besides Beck. She still had a baseball bat just in case she ran into the killer, or Beck for that matter.

In the back of her mind, she kept saying she'd get out of this alive, but the longer that the night droned on, the more that hope diminished. The fact that Zander hadn't come back yet made her worry that the police hadn't believed him, and if that were the case, she knew the only way to survive was literally to wait out the remaining hours of the night.

The calmness and silence in the building was more disturbing and bothersome than if the halls were filled with noise. "I haven't found a sign of Tori," she whispered so as to focus on some sort of noise. "I should just start heading back to the roof." There was a scraping sound in the distance that sent a chill down her spine. She held her breath and pressed her back against the wall, looking back and forth. There was a hallway opening on either side of the wall, signifying that if someone were nearby, they'd be coming out of one of these halls. "Can't scare me, can't scare me…I'm Jade West-strong, vigilant, and-" She felt a shudder vibrate from her body and clenched her eyes shut. "Not scared."

She had to fight, it was the only thing she knew now. Growing up, Beck's was not the only abusive relationship she dealt with-albeit the only abusive boyfriend. The audition film was spot on for her mother, of whom her father divorced when she turned nine. Since then her esteem had been down, and she faulted herself for it, and faulted herself for letting herself fall into a relationship with a man that could push her around.

No more. She was confident, strong, and if anything was certain, she was a survivor. Much like Cat, she knew how to make it if she just held her head high and stopped giving a shit about what others thought of her. Nobody was going to bring her down, not even this killer-or Beck.

Her eyes shot open as the strong stench of blood struck her. Jade slid along the wall, looking around the corner to see Andre sitting up against the wall, his intestines spilled out. She gasped out and fell back, throwing her hand to her mouth and swallowing hard to resist the urge to vomit.

Instead of waiting around, she hurried past the hallway, but the stench of blood only increased. To her left was another hallway with blood sliding along the tile flooring. When she got closer and turned to look, she saw a sight that made her stop in her tracks.

Beck was dead, mutilated.

Her heart dropped into her stomach and the bile shot up as fear and anger swept over her. The killer _wasn't_ him? Taking a step back, Jade shook her head while trying to piece everything together. "Beck…Andre…I know it's not Cat-so that leaves-" Her hand moved to her chest and her eyes widened with disbelief. "No! No that's not-it can't be her."

She knew it was logical, Tori had been messed up lately, acting crazier and crazier as the night went on. A whimper fell from her lips, and her hands trembled anxiety stabbed her. She'd rather the killer be Beck, at least that way she could try and fight.

It had to be someone else, there just had to be another person in this school! As she tried to rationalize, she thought back to Greg's death. Tori was bawling her eyes out in the bathroom, so how could she have done it unless she had a recording device? Then again, the crying was long and continuous without breaths.

"Let me end your pain and suffering." Her muscles tensed at the sound of Tori's voice behind her. "You can be with us in the afterlife, Jade." She spun around, gasping for air when she saw the cloaked figure. She took a shaky step backwards while Tori lifted her knife. "It won't hurt if you don't fight it."

"You've officially lost it." She didn't even have time to react to the fact that her boyfriend was dead. She should feel relief, but all she could feel was sorrow. She hated the man and wanted to leave him, but she never would have wished him dead, or murdered in such a violent way! "Y-You killed them all? Beck?"

"Beck did try to stop me. He failed." Tori looked weakened. The girl was walking with a limp as well, which was indicative of a struggle. "Jade, please let me heal you. The spirit says that we can all be together in the afterlife this way." So she sold her soul to the devil? Was that what she was saying?

"You're nuts!" Her voice rose and Tori flinched. "You realize that for all of this, you're only going to be labeled another insane school attacker?"

"I'm not anything like that, it just so happens that I chose to do this here. The voices told me-Trina told me."

"Trina? I highly doubt Trina would want this…"

"I thought the spirit was Trina, but the spirit changed. It still speaks the truth." This was a mental disorder, she knew it, but she couldn't remember which it was. Was it schizophrenia or DID? Did it matter? No, but she saw the warning signs and had done nothing. Tori successfully made everyone focus on Beck this entire time!

Her heart began to throw out adrenaline into her veins as her eyes fixated on the knife in Tori's hand. She tensed her muscles and gripped the handle of her bat. "I won't run but I'm not going to die." She wanted to get help for Tori, but the girl was too far gone from what she could see.

"Beck tried to fight me. Dad even fought it, so did Mr. Sikowitz and Sinjin…or they tried…Cat also fought." Jade's heart stopped as her entire world froze around her. _Cat? _Did she get Cat too?! Tori took a step forward, eyeing her with concern. "Please don't fight, Jade. We can all be together."

"C-Cat? Y-You killed my best friend?"

"I thought I was your best friend?"

"You can have more than one, but…Cat has always been-" Angry tears burned her cheeks as her heart churned out the anger and hatred. How dare Tori do this to her! How dare she kill Cat, but what was worse was that Tori killed her own family. "No…I did want to save you, to help you, to maybe let dad talk to you. You killed-you killed your parents, Sinjin, our teacher-and for what? I get Beck and the others was revenge, but them?"

"I didn't want to be alone when I died…"

Jade bowed her head and withheld a sob as her mind began to run by all the memories she had with Cat. She was breaking apart now, unable to formulate any rational thought. "All this time I've tried to reason and rationalize everything. The disorder you had, why these deaths were occurring, but…but now I don't know anymore. I'm not a killer, but I'm not going to let you kill me _or_ get away with killing the others-with killing my best friend!"

She let out a dangerous roar and swept the bat through the air, striking the knife from Tori's hand. Tori let out a shrill scream as Jade began to swing again. The girl ducked beneath the bat and shot for her knife, grabbing it off the ground. "Why? Why do you have to make this hard? If you don't make it hard it'll be easy."

"I'm not dying tonight! I can-I will survive. I'll live on…I won't let this kill me now or in the future." Tori jumped back as Jade swung again. The girl sliced her arm upwards, slashing at the back of Jade's wrist, but only cutting a flesh wound. Jade shot back and narrowed her eyes.

"Please!"

"Shut up!" She ran for Tori, swinging the bat down, but Tori twisted around and slashed sideways along Jade's back. Pain shot through her. She bit her tongue to keep from screaming out. The images of those deceased shot through her mind, fueling her anger and her desire to make it out alive, but then, she thought of Zander and her father. She knew she'd be okay, she had them to support her and could very well be happy. "Killing me won't make me 'happy' but I'll find peace eventually. Everyone does…you could have…"

Heavy breaths descended from her lungs as she studied Tori closely. She pitied this girl now more than ever, but it was unfortunate that she could not save her. "Like a horror movie, Tori, I know the killer expects none to fight…" Tori was also breathing heavily, but she'd been doing so since they made contact. "Beck, maybe even Cat by what you say…Mr. Vega…They couldn't have been that far apart. Have you even taken a break?"

"That doesn't matter!" Tori rushed her, bringing her knife in from the right. Jade swayed to the left, avoiding a deeper stab. The blade still made contact, drawing blood with the tip. She winced and threw the bat down onto Tori's arm, causing both weapons to fall. This time, Tori picked up the bat, leaving Jade defenseless. "Shouldn't have done that, Jade…"

"Shit!" Tori slammed the bat down onto Jade's right leg, causing a shockwave of pain to bring her to her knees. She clutched her leg and looked up in time to see Tori swinging the bat towards her once more. Thinking fast, she collapsed herself to the floor to dodge the arc of the swing, then promptly rolled onto her back.

Tori let out a violent scream and brought the bat down in an overhead arc. Jade curled up and rolled onto her palms, pushing herself up, wincing as the sound of the bat striking tile echoed into her ear. "Why are you fighting it?"

She heard Tori begin to sob and her heart sank, she really did feel bad for her friend but honestly didn't know what more she could do. Tori dropped the bat and bowed her head. Her shoulders rose and fell and tears began to stream down her face. Perhaps there was some humanity left in her after all? She'd not completely lost herself? "Tori?"

"I just…I miss my sister. I wanted to be with her and everyone I care about gain. I was just angry at Beck and the others. I started dreaming…dreaming the only way was killing…"

Jade reached out, placing a gentle hand to Tori's shoulder, "Tori it's going to be okay." Exhaustion was starting to cloud her judgment. "We will get you some help." She thought she heard sirens outside, which did excite her somewhat.

"I don't need help. I am not crazy!" Tori reached up, grabbing Jade by the throat and tackling her to the ground. Jade gasped out and grabbed Tori's wrists, struggling to breathe as the girl's grip cut off her air flow.

"T-Tori!"

"I didn't want it to be this way! I honestly didn't!" Jade's vision began to fade as she heard the sudden clicking of the school's security system. As sweat ran along the sides of her face, drenching into her hair, she held her breath and tried in vain to push Tori away. Tears mixed with her sweat as her skin began to turn blue. Her heart started racing and her lungs were flaring up. "Be with us in the afterlife!"

Her eyes started to roll to the back of her head as her body began to feel numb. As hope began to fade and she attempted to breathe in through her blue lips, a shadow fell over the two.

"Let her go," Cat's voice startled her, and Tori's grip started to loosen. Cat's arm swung down, holding a nine pound bowling ball from the sports closet. A loud thump shot out into the halls, and Tori's body fell off to the side. "I told you I wouldn't miss the next time..." Jade gasped out as wind rushed back into her lungs. She sat up, holding her neck as she coughed out. Cat knelt down beside her, wrapping her arms around her. She was soaking wet, and also bloody.

"C-Cat? I thought-Tori said…"

"She can't swim. I let myself fall into the pool." Relieved and stunned, Jade moved her head to Cat's shoulder and began to weep. "I can't believe Tori…" Jade's vision started to return and she looked to Tori's body with great sorrow.

Tori was curled up on the floor, with some amount of blood but nothing serious, however she wasn't breathing. Jade looked up to see the school system finally shutting down. The girls finally broke when they saw Mr. West, Zander, Sam and Travis all hurrying towards them from the front door.

Zander put his coat around her and helped her to stand, where she collapsed into her father's arms. Sam hugged Cat, rubbing her back while Cat's brother tried to console her. Police and paramedics came rushing in after them, along with Principal Eikner. "The police didn't believe me, but the principal checked the surveillance cameras and made the call. Glad we made it in time."

Jade slowly nodded and shook her head while hugging him tight. She was beginning to feel faint from exhaustion as well as the loss of her oxygen supply. Cat looked to be the same way, so her father called the paramedics over.

It was going to take some time to recover from all that happened tonight, but she wasn't going to let it defeat her. She was going to remain strong, no matter what happened.

* * *

So that was rather intense wouldn't you say. So they're safe now. There's one final chapter left, but the deed is done.


	23. Closure

Lockdown

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Victorious? I do not, leave me be.

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 23 (Closure)

Jade's eyes shot open and she sat up with a start, finding herself surrounded by four white walls and covered by hospital bed sheets. Beside her was another hospital bed with Cat laying down in it, her misty eyes gazing up at the ceiling. "Cat?" The girl looked over with a small smile and lifted up her hand.

"Hey Jade, good to see you're awake…" She was still anxious, but glad to be out of the damn school. She was fearful that Tori would still come after them, and couldn't get the images of all those dead out of her head. "Zander was just here, he went to the restroom and Sam's grabbing some lunch from the café."

"What happened? I don't remember leaving the school."

"You passed out, both of us did. Principal Eikner wound up seeing the security camera. I think an alarm must have gone off or something, but regardless of what happened, we're…alive…" It didn't feel like much to still be alive. Her heart was in tatters and her mind was spinning.

Her fingers grasped the sheet, tightening around it. "W-What are we going to do now? Every-Everyone's gone." Jade's voice cracked and tears fell from her eyes. She was angry at Tori, angry at herself that she hadn't been able to save her friend, but she had to acknowledge that she'd been too far gone to save.

"I guess live. I don't know. It's difficult." She could see the pain in Cat's eyes well enough to know she was suffering almost as badly, if not worse. At least the girls could be there for one another. "You should see what they're saying on the news right now."

"Okay…" The last thing she wanted to do was watch the news and to be reminded of the tragedy, but her curiosity was admittedly piqued. Cat used her bedside remote to turn up the volume on the television on the wall. Jade cringed at the serious looking blonde reporter standing outside of Hollywood Arts. The headline was _School Rampage_. Her heart sank a little at that realization, seeing as how what they'd predicted the media would do appeared to e exactly correct, and Tori was being classified as some crazy attacker-as usual.

_"Another high school tragedy this year took place when a student locked the doors and went on a rampage,"_ announced the reporter-clearly shocked by yet another high school horror. _"There's word of why, and there has been no word of gun use."_

"Of course they bring up guns," Jade muttered with a bitter tone. Cat rolled her eyes and nodded, irritated as well. "All the media's concerned with is hyping something up the way they want people to see it."

_"The twelve deceased include the attacker, a teacher, a police office and several students. Beck Oliver, Andre Harris, Robbie Shapiro, Bill Lace, Tiffany Dixon, Shirley Lauder, Gregory Mason, Sinjin Van Cleef, Erwin Sikowitz, David Vega, Holly Vega, and the reported attacker-Victoria Vega-who was pronounced dead on scene. It is believed that Victoria was suffering psychiatric problems from the death of her elder sister a month ago. Two young women survived this unexplained rampage, Jade West and Catherine Valentine…"_

"I can't watch anymore of this."

"Me either." Cat flipped off the television and leaned back in the bed, sighing heavily. "So they are playing it up like that-and painting Tori as an insane person." While it was true that Tori lost her mind and went insane, she didn't attack the school randomly because of insanity, though that did play a major part.

"I think I'm going to stay as far away from the news as I can." She put her hand to her stomach and started to groan as it clenched. "It's making me sick."

"They're saying Mr. Sikowitz and Mr. Vega were heroes. Though they've been focusing mainly on the others, probably because they're all teenagers and this is a 'school' tragedy."

"Some school attack." Jade looked away with a heavy scoff. "It was just the arena Tori chose when she went crazy!" There was nothing good to be said of how the media was handing things, but at least they'd already figured out how the country would react, which of course she hated having to have this on national news. "I _wish _Tori would have chosen a different place, and I know it sucks to say that, I just…I don't know…"

"We'll be okay though. You know, Beck did try and stop her. He didn't make it, obviously, but he tried. I guess we were wrong to think he was doing it all, but it just seemed like-"

"It's done, Cat. I'd really like not to think about it anymore…"

"Yeah."

The door opened and Zander walked in with Henry, Sam and Travis. Jade looked up with a slight smile as her father hurried to her side with Zander. Her father hugged her with strong, protective arms. "Dad…" She hugged him close, trembling as her mind wandered to the horror from the night before. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I'm here for you. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

She sniffled and looked over to Sam, who was rubbing Cat's back and shaking her head, "I can't believe we passed them up." Sam was angry with herself, understandable, though Jade didn't want her to feel bad for herself. Anyone could have made the mistake when going through a panic. Cat hugged Sam and her brother, asking what made them come back to the school.

"When the police sirens started heading the way we just left, we figured it out," Travis replied. "We're just glad you're safe. Both of you." Cat looked up, then at the door.

"What about Dice and Nona? Are they coming by?"

"They'll be here." Sam moved back and wiped her eye. "They're stuck in traffic."

Jade took a deep breath and looked up to the blank television screen. School tragedy or not, she wasn't going to let this get the best of her. There were a few months left of school, she wasn't taking a break, she'd push through. "When can we go back to school?" The others in the room looked at her with concern while Cat flashed a smile.

"Are you sure you don't want to take some time to rest?" Henry asked.

"I don't want to feel sorry for myself. All I'm going to do if I don't do something is mope…so I'm sure…" She reached over to Zander, grasping his hand gently. "But if I can, I want to transfer to another school."

Cat shuddered and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, no Hollywood Arts. I'm done with that place too." There would be too many unpleasant memories anyway. Everywhere they could go in that school would just be too triggering for them. "It's probably better we stay as far away from that place as possible."

"I think that would be best," her father rubbed her shoulder and gave her a slight nod. "I'm proud of you Jade. I want you to know I love you."

"I love you too, Dad…"

It was a month before Jade was able to visit the memorial erected at Hollywood Arts. She really didn't want to go, but Cat insisted she see it, as well as her father for sake of closure. It was essentially a statue erected in the front lot of the school with a flag on top, and the names of Tori's victims. She hated it because the memorial was put up with the wrong thought in mind.

Zander and Cat stood on either side of her as she carefully brushed her fingertips along the stone letters. Her voice trembled as tears slid along her cheeks. "It was hard enough to go to the funeral service last month. Coming here is…it's not something I wanted."

She felt like her entire trauma had been plastered for the entire world to see, that she was naked before them all. She and Cat had done their best to stay away from the press, and her father-along with Sam's help-did what they could to keep reporters from harassing the girls with questions.

Finally it was dying down and the media attention was going away. There really wasn't anything to do when the two sole survivors were refusing to be seen. "Has anyone checked to see if Eikner still works here?"

"I think he retired," Cat answered. "Blamed himself or something, and last I heard, the superintendent was urging him to retire after what happened." Jade studied Mr. Sikowitz's name positioned above Beck's. She closed her eyes and slowly turned away from the memorial.

"It's probably for the best. Principal Eikner _and_ the woman who temporarily replaced him are both responsible in some ways-but it wasn't their fault. I can forgive them, and I forgive Tori too…"

"It wasn't her fault what happened either. I mean-I don't know what I mean."

"Tori went insane because Beck killed the one person that she cared about." Could they really even blame Beck? "The thing Dad always says…placing blame never works to make things better because it's pointing fingers instead of trying to cope." If they wanted to keep going back to find out who was at fault for what occurred, they could go all the way back to Beck's father that brought Beck up the way he was, or even the grandfather that was foul mouthed and aggressive towards Mr. Oliver. "There's not limit to who can be faulted-there's only coping and trying to make changes to what we can do. Moving on…"

"Yeah." They were already making friends with Zander's band at the school. Though Jade was staying away from music as well and focusing her energy on her studies. From this point on, she was going to do everything in her power to stay on top of things. She trusted Zander, she didn't have to be afraid of anyone anymore. She would miss her friends here, but if she learned anything from this experience, it was that she could be strong, that she could survive even the harshest of storms.

Jade reached over, taking Zander's hand and meeting his loving eyes. Tori did give her one thing, even though it was in a terrible way that should never have happened. Freedom and security from an abusive, dangerous boyfriend, and chance to love someone again. Proof that everything, even terrible tragedies, have a drop of good somewhere.

She was happy now, or perhaps she was slowly becoming happier. Her dad was helping her through the trauma, Zander was building her trust back up and treating her in ways that Beck never had, and with Cat, the two were able to keep the other strong with encouragement.

"I hope they all rest in peace. Even Tori." Cat nodded with Jade. "Beck too." She looked up to the sky and heaved forth a heavy sigh. "Let's go. I don't want to be here anymore." With one final look at the memorial, the girls placed their bouquets of flowers down for their friends and said one silent prayer for them. They lingered another few seconds as the sun started to set on the school. Tomorrow, it would rise on the new school they were going to, and a new chapter of their lives would begin.

* * *

And with that, it ends. This was a great run, i hope you enjoyed it. Check out some of my other stuff if you will. I appreciate everyone's insight and commentry, it means a lot to me! I'm working on a bit of a family drama that centers around David, Holly, Tori and Trina-I think you should check it out "Family Man". It's much different than anything I've done kind of like Lockdown was much different. Speaking of Lockdown, I really should base more fiction on my old originals. Though Tiffany was really named Terry...I wanted to make Sarah have a cameo, but figured that would be too much. The irony is-in the original, Billy and Beck fit more each other's persona than anything, and Sarah was the one with a sibling, police officer dad, and a mom who was present but distant at the same time.


End file.
